


Turn Yourself Toward Home

by fireflystiles (cuddlehazz)



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Derek Hale, Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, BAMF Lydia Martin, BAMF Stiles, Decapitation, Derek Hale Can Have Nice Things, Derek Hale Protects Stiles Stilinski, Emissary Stiles Stilinski, Evil Gerard Argent, Evil Kate Argent, Feral Derek Hale, Hurt Derek, Hurt Derek Hale, Hurt Stiles, Kate Argent Dies, Lydia Martin & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, M/M, Mage Stiles Stilinski, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Oblivious Stiles, Pack Dynamics, Past Torture, Prison, Protective Derek, Protective Stiles, Road Trips, Sarcasm, Slow Build Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Stiles Stilinski is Part of the Hale Pack, Swearing, Tattooed Stiles Stilinski, Warning: Kate Argent, but it doesn't get anywhere close, mentions of hanging
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-24
Updated: 2017-02-24
Packaged: 2018-09-26 17:19:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 30,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9912926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cuddlehazz/pseuds/fireflystiles
Summary: Hunter's took over and four Protected Territories remain to take in Supernaturals. Beacon Hills is one of them. They destroy the Camp holding many Supernaturals, rescuing those inside. Stiles, Derek, and his Betas end up separated from the others taking longer to get home.





	

Guards dragged Stiles down a dark, damp hall holding him by hands under his arms. He lacked the energy to get his feet under him and his shoulders already hurt from the Witch Hazel doused cuffs constricting his movements. The guards who caught him slapped the cuffs on far too tight for his preference before he even entered the Camp. He felt blood dribbling down his face from the gash above his eyebrow and his mouth tasted of blood. Stiles imagined his teeth gleamed red if he barred them. They beat the crap out of him and held him prisoner because they caught doing magic in the Argent State.

“Kid you’re ‘bout as stupid as they get. Doin’ magic out in the open, beggin’ to be captured,” one of the guards goaded as he threw Stiles into a small damp cell. The iron-barred door slammed shut with a loud echoing bang. Stiles landed on his right shoulder, hands still cuffed behind his back. The cuffs stayed on seeing as they kept him from doing magic. He groaned out an answer to them that was entirely illegible.

“He’s not going to last very long here,” the other guard commented as he walked away from the cell, back down the hall he just came down.  

Stiles waited to hear the heavy door they brought him through slam shut before he started to lift himself slowly. He gritted his teeth together as he pushed himself up so his left side lined the damp, frankly disgusting, wall with his head resting on it. He did not even want to begin to think about the slime he could feel on the walls and floor or who occupied the cell before him.

Stiles sat with his body heavily resting in the corner of the unfortunately small cell. He could just barely stretch out his legs the whole way and he figured he couldn’t stand to his full height either. Stiles tried to calm down the flaring pain he felt all over from sitting up. His face throbbed, his shoulders screamed from being hung from the handcuffs for what Stiles thought amounted to around two days. They took a long piece of Rowan, that left splinters in his skin, dusted in Witch Hazel and whipped him with it. Stiles' muscles screamed and his skin felt raw as what little clothing left rubbed against it and the cuts left behind.

Being thrown into a pool of, well Stiles wasn’t really sure but he felt his magic draining or rather being blocked, really pissed Stiles off. His magic became difficult to access after they dunked him in the herb mixture goo shit. He could feel his magic there but it felt like glass blocked his magic from being used. He knew his magic still hummed beneath his skin but he couldn’t reach it. Stiles sighed, he hadn’t expected the pool of gooey herby mixture but he knew it wouldn’t hold for long if he had anything to say about it.

Stiles kept his breathing steady as he opened his eyes to take in his surroundings outside of the cell. He was right about the leg room and the height or lack thereof rather. When he pushed himself off the far wall so he sat directly in the center of the back wall he looked up and across the hall. Argents made the whole building from concrete mixed with Mountain Ash and iron, making one hell of a bummer for Supernaturals. He looked up and saw red eye glowing from the cell straight across from him.

Stiles slowly moved closer to the bars of his cell, which Stiles found irritatingly slow going because of the pain. He shuffled his way forward until he rested his head right up against the front bars before he asked, “You wouldn’t happen to be Derek Hale would you?” Stiles croaked out, his voice scratchy from trying not to scream but failing a bit.

The Alpha across from him snarled something fierce and rushed at the bars as much as the chains around his wrists and ankles would allow. The Alpha’s eyes burning red.

“Oh, you’re Feral that just makes everything easier,” Stiles sarcastically said more to himself than anyone after _clearing_ his throat, “Well right then, I guess I should take that as a yes to being Derek Hale?”

“You’re not going to get an answer from him,” came a voice from the slightly larger cell to the right of Derek’s. When Stiles managed to turn his body enough to see, three sets of gold eyes and one set of blue greeted him. Betas.

“And you are?” Stiles inquired towards the Betas. He knew there would be others but he hated not being able to feel them through magic or hell even being able to see them because hello shitty lighting.

Stiles didn’t get an answer.

“Right then, Derek. I know you have no reason to trust or believe me but can you hear me out? I know you can Feral or not.” Stiles sighed. Hello difficultly. He dealt with Feral Werewolves before but not an Alpha. Feral Werewolves were basically really strong toddlers permanently stuck in a temper tantrum but with claws and teeth and rage. Not everything gets through but certain things do. The wolf side controlled things, closer to the surface than usual. Feral wolves sought out the most basic of things and didn’t take kindly to things or people getting in their way. Usually, Alpha’s go Feral from lack of pack, torture, or giving into the wolf. It could be reversed; some situations were more favorable than others, though. Stiles hoped he could at least get through to Derek, on way or another.

“I know what Kate did to your family,” Stiles started knowing it would get a strong reaction from the Alpha. Sure, enough it did. Derek snarled.

“Listen, I hate the bitch too, probably not as much as you but still. She has a terrible whip fetish I mean really, completely unnecessary to whip along my ribs after she already tore my back to shreds,” Stiles rambled. “Anyway, I’m not a friend of hers, listen to my heart beat I’m telling the truth.”

“You’re magic. You could alter it,” a voice spoke up from the Betas cell. They were just going to be so overly helpful apparently.

“Can’t actually, normally yes, now with that goo mixture they threw me in on top of the fact I’m exhausted and all my magic available is going into healing me, I’m not messing with my heart beat,” Stiles stated honestly. He was so tired but he really needed to talk to them, to Derek, before he lost his best chance.

Stiles looked up and saw Derek red-eyed and watching him. At least he stopped snarling, “I’m from Beacon Hills. A few months ago, some Werewolves came to the border and asked if I knew you or where you were,” Stiles paused trying to get the story right.

“I found out that you became Alpha after the fire. You are the rightful Alpha of Beacon Hills.” Stiles continued. They needed an Alpha but more than that they needed the rightful Alpha of Beacon Hills to protect it if he agreed on which Stiles hoped Derek would although he refused to get his hopes top high. Wards protected it making it one of the few Protected Territories left but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t a level of chaos without an Alpha for all the territory. Having the Beacon Hills Alpha would help bring structure to the territory and those inside, particularly the Supernatural refugees. Beacon Hills and the Hale’s history intertwined inseparably and Stiles respected the old magic of it all.

“So, you’re here now? Why now?” Came a fierce snarl of a female voice from the Betas cell.

“Why now? Because I didn’t know the full story before. The Werewolves looking for you are your sister Cora Hale, your uncle Peter Hale and his daughter Malia,” Stiles stated firmly, truthfully. He knew about the Hale fire but not the Argent’s part or that the Alpha power stayed in the Hale line. He didn’t know how the Alpha power passed down through the Hale’s after the fire because he thought they all perished.

Derek whined from his cell.

“I swear, they are alive and safe,” Stiles affirmed watching Derek.  

“So, what you got yourself captured to tell him this how did you even-” the female voice snarled louder this time.

“If you think I got myself captured without some serious planning and full well knowing what I was getting myself into you are entirely mistaken,” Stiles declared. Stiles grew tired of their questions and the general judgy-ness not that he could blame them for the situation. They didn’t know Stiles or the lengths he would go to protect the ones he loved in his territory. Stiles wondered why the others cell was so close to Derek’s.

“How did you guys become Weres?” Stiles asked in the direction of the cell but kept his eyes on Derek. As far as he knew they weren’t Hale’s.

Silence reigned then he heard, “we were turned in here after being taken for being sympathizers among other reasons.”

“Fuck. Did- wait were you turned against your will? That bitch! She forced you to turn them!” Stiles exclaimed in pure anger and outrage. He had no idea how bad it actually was in the Camp. Everyone knew that nobody survived being taken to the Camp but he never dared imagine why or what took place.

“For science,” came a shy and bitter voice.

“Fucking hell,” Stiles muttered. He felt nauseous.

“We are the only ones that survived,” came another voice from the Betas.

“I-” Stiles started but what the hell could he say to that. This place was hell on earth. He knew the Argent’s captured and killed any and all Supernatural creatures, now all lumped together under the reference Supernaturals, they came across. Some humans that were seen as weak or sympathetic to the Supernaturals after they were outed to the world four years ago, starting all of this shit were taken too.

“I’m telling you this now there is a plan to get everyone we can out of this fucking hell hole,” Stiles affirmed. They had a plan and it has taken forever to implement but they were right in the thick of it now. Stiles refused to think any farther than the plan. He feared what he would see and now that he was actually in the Camp and endured their entrance system he couldn’t stop thinking about what the people here suffered. Stiles felt angry and sad all at once.

“It won’t work,” came a snarky voice breaking Stiles from his spiraling thoughts.

Before he could answer the door to the hall of cells they were located in opened. Stiles moved back some from the bars but not the entire way. Stiles looked over when he heard Derek growling low in his chest. His eyes never stopped bleeding red.

“Der, it’s been so long since you greeted me with growls. I thought we were making progress,” Kate said before she stopped in front of Derek cell. Her back was to Stiles but it didn’t matter Stiles could recognize her anywhere from all the propaganda spewing she did and the trial. Stiles saw she had one of the Argent’s tasers that have been referred to a lightsaber more often than not.

“Leave him alone,” Stiles stated plainly from his spot on the slimy floor of his cell. His plan was going to suck.  

Kate didn’t even turn, “look at that the little Witch is protecting you my-my,” Kate teased Derek. Her attention remained on Derek probably to see his reaction.

“He doesn’t need protecting. What he needs is those chains removed so he can remove your head from the rest of your body,” Stiles suggested to her hoping to actually get her attention.

Sure enough, Kate turned to face him. “You must have a death wish little Witch,” Kate taunted him except she looked really damn serious. Stiles hated her.

“Only for you,” Stiles answered honestly. He was nuts. He felt Derek watching him, chains stretched as far as they could go and the Betas’ eyes were alight after vanishing into the darkness of their cell at Kate’s entrance.

Kate reached to her thigh holster and pulled out the lightsaber, “You should mind your tongue little Witch.”

“Never been to good at that you see people tell me I babble too much but I think--” Stiles started to do one of his best things: babble. Kate’s irritation showed on top of her anger towards him. He thought Hunters were supposed to keep their cool. She’s just too easy to provoke.

“If you don’t shut up I will use this on you,” Kate emphasized her point by flicking the lightsaber to full length and it started to crackle with electricity. How dramatic.

“Oh, what fun it is to live in a militaristic state-” Stiles sing-songed his changed lyrics to the Christmas carol. He knew he was pushing her farther than necessary but it had to be done.

The next thing Stiles felt was utter agony as the electricity coursed through him from where Kate reached the taser into his cell. He tried not to make a sound knowing she would get too much pleasure out of it. Stiles passed out.

\--

Stiles groaned as he woke up. Everything hurt. On the bright side, Stiles’ could feel his magic thrumming no longer being held down but the mixture they had dunked him in. The electricity did its job overpowering the goo mixture covering his skin and letting his magic come to the surface. He stayed in place just breathing before he decided to try and move.

Moving hurt. Everything hurt. “Ugh,” Stiles groaned. He heard shuffling from the others cell and a whine that he knows is Derek’s.

“We thought she killed you,” a voice came from the Betas.

“Then you suck at being Werewolves, you can hear my heartbeat,” Stiles muttered through gritted teeth.

“The Mountain Ash makes that hard, and it’s not like we have been properly trained you know.”

“Right sorry. Not dead,” Stiles answered. Stiles didn’t think of what it meant to be turned while in the Camp. They lacked any training apparently.

“No, you’re just plain stupid,” came the female voice snarly as ever.

“I disagree.”

“So, you planned on getting your ass fried,” came a snarky voice from the Betas.

“I did actually, jackass.”

He heard Derek whine at that.

“The electricity helped my magic overtake that mixture they put on me to repress it,” Stiles answered Derek’s whine. Stiles didn’t know how but he knew what Derek was getting at. Maybe Stiles was proficient in more languages than he thought. 

“So why aren’t you getting us out of here,” came jackass’s voice again. Stiles really wished he could see them, to put a face to the voice. So far, he had snarls, jackass, shy, and the fourth one hasn’t spoken yet.

“We’re not to that part in the plan,” Stiles answered tiredly. This is by far his most hated raid. He took a few outside of his Protected Territory but nothing this far from home or where he was on his own this much.

Stiles didn’t realize he fell asleep until there was banging on the bars of his cell.

“Oh, you didn’t die. Shame really,” Stiles heard a voice he didn’t recognize. He looked up and a guard was at the bars of his cell holding a bucket. A small moldy biscuit was thrown into his cell.

“Gee thanks what lovely accommodations you guys have here,” Stiles snarked at the guy. He needed to get the guards attention.

“Shut up,” the guard answered as he moved to throw some of the same moldy biscuits out of the bucket at the others. “You should mind that. It’s the only one you’ll be getting for a couple days.”

“Oh, goody moldy bread. Could you bring something better next time like some bacon maybe,” Stiles inquired. Stiles could see the guard getting irritated, probably not used to the prisoners talking back to.

“You won’t be getting much of anything next time,” the guard scoffed.

“Shame really whatever will I do?” Stiles sighed out before adding, “You know what I would like to make a formal complaint to Gerard, could you maybe set that up?” Stiles asked the guard. Stiles watched as the guy froze upon hearing Gerard’s name. Most didn’t realize Gerard oversaw the Camp, not just the Hunter Council’s, although Kate had the most fun at the Camp from what Stiles’ heard.

“Hey,” Stiles said seriously to the guard. Stiles knew the Betas were looking at him like he lost it. Derek watched him intently as well.

The guard turned and looked at Stiles looking comply thrown off. Most probably don’t question him like this let alone talk about his boss.

“Tell Gerard I have a message for him from his granddaughter,” Stiles stated with no hesitance and all seriousness. Stiles saw the guy’s eyes widen before he turned and walked out.

“You don’t seriously have a message from her? You can’t know her!” Came the female voice from the Betas’ cell once they heard the heavy door at the end of the hall open and close signaling the guard left.

“I do actually. She’s a good friend of mine. She’s how I knew how to get in here and how we’re all getting out,” Stiles answered only to be met with a fierce snarl from Derek.

“I know you don’t trust Argents’ but Allison and Chris are good people and are under my protection,” Stiles tried to explain to Derek. Allison and Chris had long ago proved themselves to him and Beacon Hills since the Argent State took over three years ago. Their help keeps Beacon Hills as one of four Protected Territories.

“You’re insane,” the female shouted. Stiles had no idea how long it would take before Gerard graced them with his presence. The plan had a few hiccups so far but it’s still mostly on track, for now. Though Stiles realized that his sense of time was all screwed up because of passing out and sleep. Nothing in the damp cells helped him grasp time. 

“Right well we already established you think that. How long do you think I have been here?” Stiles asked. The plan wasn’t entirely time sensitive but it was still a little time sensitive.

“Why your grand plan blowing up in your face?” came jackass’s snarky reply.

Stiles didn’t answer him, instead, he moved closer to the bars to look at Derek. He couldn’t see the red eye of the Alpha glowing and couldn’t hear him. Having his magic back made it easier to move because he was healing properly now with the help of his tattooed runes. He was still sore but it didn’t hurt to breathe anymore. Small victories.

\--

Stiles didn’t realize he fell asleep again until he heard the heavy door at the end of the hall open and several different footsteps echoed down the hall. Stiles looked over to Derek’s cell. He couldn’t see anything but he heard a low whine. Stiles figured Derek pressed himself against the back wall of his cell. The light from the hall didn’t reach that far back into the cells and his eyes were not glow sticks.

A man with a cane blocked his view into the Alpha’s cell, “You said you had a message for me?” Stiles head the slimy voice of Gerard over anti-Supernatural broadcasts before but hearing it in person was so much worse.  

Stiles put on his best smart ass face before lifting his head to Gerard and speaking, “why isn’t it so nice to have the man at the top visit my humble cell, I’d invite you in but see I can barely fit in here and cleaning was simply out of the question the slime on these walls would simply never come out,” Stiles sang out as politely as he could. Dead silence greeted him.

“Open the door,” Gerard ordered one of his men who reacted immediately and opened the barred door to Stiles’ cell and pulled Stiles out on his knees into the poorly lit hallway. Stiles took a breath before he maneuvered himself, wrists still cuffed, to stand in front of Gerard Argent leader of the Argent State and mastermind of the Camp.

“I will ask one more time. You said you have a message for me?” Gerard leveled with Stiles. To Stiles, Gerard looked sickly up close. Pale and shaky but he also looked like he could bash Stiles head in with the cane so.

“From Allison, yeah,” Stiles answered with a shit eating grin. He talked to Allison and Chris on how best to piss of Gerard while also letting him know that they chose the side of the Supernaturals.

“How do you know her? Are you holding her against her will?” Gerard barked.

Stiles snorted. One of the guards went for his lightsaber but didn’t take it out. “She lives with her dad, your son, Chris, in a lovely house armed to the teeth with weapons ready to be used against Hunters trying to kill innocent Supernaturals and sympathizers. Allison and Chris live and fight for the Protected Territory because they chose their side. You are the only one that holds people against their will.” Stiles answered honestly and seriously only adding the snark on at the end.

“Lies!” screamed Gerard at him. Stiles could hear chains moving and the others shuffling but nothing else. Gerard looked crazed at the thought his family abandoned him and worse yet his cause.

“You and your bitch of a daughter are nothing to them. Allison lost her mother because of your fucking Code,” Stiles continued as if Gerard had burst out. “They are happy without you and your Code. They are happy to be pack.” Stiles said the last word and felt the cane come down hard and leave a slash of heat and pain on his side. Stiles leaned over from the force and pain but didn’t fall.

Looking Gerard in the eyes Stiles said, “They are pack.”

Before Gerard could get another lash off with his cane or the guards could react, Stiles, with all the force he could muster, slammed his head into Gerard’s hearing a satisfying crunch of the man’s nose. Stiles could feel the taser before it touched his skin. He really hated those lightsabers.

Stiles fell to the ground in a heap only to be hefted up by two guards, “You earned yourself an early death” Gerard screamed at him, bloody nose right in his face and all. Stiles was honestly too exhausted to be disgusted, well he was a little disgusted. Okay so a lot disgusted, he did a damn number on that nose. Stiles was glad his magic could handle the electricity better this time.

He was thrown back into the cell and the door was slammed shut.

“Do put on your finest for us tomorrow would you,” Gerard boasted over his shoulder as he walked back down the hall with his guards shadowing him.

“Ugh,” Stiles groaned, from where he landed, once he heard the door slam shut. That fucking sucked but it was necessary. Stiles could hear the others shuffling around closer to the bars and Derek’s high whining.

“So, did that go according to plan,” Jackass said in the least snarky manner so far. They were growing on him. At least he wasn’t alone down in this hell hole.

“Yeah, though it hurt a lot more than I would have liked it too,” Stiles mumbled out. He simply remained on his side, because hello still cuffed the fuckers, and calmed his breathing.

“You do realize you are going to be hanged tomorrow morning?” the female asked as if he didn’t hear for himself.

“Yeah, I know. Don’t worry though I know you will miss me but I won’t be gone for long,” Stiles ever the smart ass grinned.

“If you say so,” he heard mumbled from one of the Beta’s. They were starting to like him too Stiles had a feeling about it.

He heard another high whine from Derek.

“Hey big guy, I’m going to be fine and we will all be out of here tomorrow,” Stiles answered the silent question. He could read Derek pretty well for only having met the guy like two or so days ago. Stiles realized how hungry he was not having any decent food in days or water for that matter.

Everything was silent for a time. Stiles lost any and all sense of time since he was captured.

They all heard the door at the end of the hall open again and waited as light footsteps made their way down the hall.

Before too long Stiles was greeted with long red hair and bright eyes in his field of vision.

“Oh Stiles, what have they done to you? This wasn’t part of the plan,” Lydia in her guards uniform breathed as she opened the door to his cell and kneeled in front of him lifting her hand to his cheek.

“Hey Lyds,” Stiles smiled at her feeling the dried blood crack from the movement. He was so relieved to see a familiar face. He hadn’t seen her in over a month since they first enacted the plan. Lydia was sent in after applying to be a guard. No one here knew she was a Banshee and this way they would have someone on the inside.

“Heard you’re going to the gallows,” Lydia replied offhandedly as she took inventory of the bruises on Stiles.

“Yeah, it’s going to be swell don’t you think?” Stiles asked jokingly. He felt her running her hand over the scabbed cut on his eyebrow.

Stiles looked over to Derek’s cell and saw glowing red eyes. Right. “Um Lydia, I’d like you to meet Derek Hale and his four Betas. Derek this is Lydia Martin, goddess extraordinaire and Banshee and the reason I was placed in a cell across from you.”

“She’s with you? But she’s a guard,” came a snarky voice but it was more curious than anything. He was still looking at Derek.

“You can trust her. She’s with me. We sent her in early to have someone on the inside. It’s all in the plan,” Stiles said more to Derek than anyone. He watched as the Alpha’s eyes stopped glowing from where he was standing as close to the bars as he could get.

“Oh, you probably haven’t eaten, here,” Lydia said as she pulled out a small bag filled with a lot of bacon and one banana. She looked sheepish about not being able to bring more.

“Just give me one piece of bacon give the rest to them,” Stiles told her. Lydia didn’t look particularly surprised. She put the banana down and grabbed a piece of bacon and basically shoved it into his mouth. Before standing and giving the Betas enough to have a piece each. They were hesitant not eating until they saw what their Alpha would do. Lydia walked over to Derek’s cell and he started to growl.

“Woah, dude. Lydia is pack. Take the damn bacon,” Stiles basically ordered. From what Stiles, could tell Derek glared at him with red eyes once more before he opened his hand enough for Lydia to place the bacon in his hand. He stood there for a few seconds before he stepped back to gain slack in the chains and ate the bacon. Stiles grinned at him.

Lydia came back over to Stiles with an eyebrow raised in question. Stiles didn’t have a damn clue why the Alpha listened to him but hey he was just going to roll with it.  She peeled the banana and broke it into smaller chunks before feeding them to Stiles one at a time, slowly.

“Everyone in place?” Stiles asked after he finished two chunks of the banana. He was desperate for news about his pack and his home.

“Yep, came in over the last few days. I think they are more worried about you than anything. For good reason, too, you look like crap Stiles,” Lydia said to him trying to tease but it fell flat with worry. She had no idea what he went through. Being a guard wasn’t bad. She even made some money which would come in handy for future raids into the Argent State. She moved all the money into another account off the Argent’s books.

“Well, we’ll all be out of here tomorrow,” Stiles shrugged at her. He really wanted to get the hell out of the Camp but also out of the Argent State. He hated that his pack came into it too for this but there was no way he could do it all himself. He just wanted his pack home and safe.  

“You’re right,” and just like that Lydia was back to holding her head high and looking down on everyone.

“You should go. Don’t blow your cover on the last night,” Stiles nudged her. Before she got up she pulled him into a hug.

Stiles shuffled back from the entrance to the cell as she quietly locked the door. She looked at him before she left but didn’t say anything.

“You really do have this all planned out,” jackass breathed sounding slightly accepting.

“Yeah.” Stiles sighed out. They really did but so much could still go wrong.

\--

Stiles woke up to banging on the bars of his cell. He was going to be hanged today or so the Argent’s thought.

“Told you he wouldn’t last long,” came the familiar voice of one of the previous guards.

Stiles didn’t say anything. He looked over to the other cell and saw four pairs of glowing eyes then to Derek. Derek's eyes glowed vibrant red as he stood as close to the bars as the chains would allow. Stiles smiled at him until the guards blocked his view.

“Let’s go kid.”

Stiles silently maneuvered himself up and out through the opened door. On his way out he stopped and looked to Derek, “See you soon, dude.”

The guards only looked at him incredulously as they grabbed his arms similar to the way he had been dragged in except this time he could actually walk.

“You know this reminds me of Pirates of the Caribbean,” Stiles chirped. He was so glad to be up and walking around instead of the cramped damp cell.

Stiles started to hum before he started to sing a rather poor rendition of the song from the movie, “heave-ho thieves and beggars never shall we die.” Stiles was simply not going to pass up an opportunity like this, it’s not every day you are walking towards the gallows after all.  

“You stupid little Witch don’t you realize you are going to die?” came Kate’s obnoxious voice once he entered the courtyard after going through a wide vaulted chamber where the doors to the halls of cells were located. She and Gerard were in the courtyard which was filled with guards. In the center was basically a replica from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie set. Stiles looked towards the wall and saw Lydia in place. He nodded to her and smiled before turning in the guard's arms toward the Argent’s.

“Actually, funny thing about that I’m not a Witch,” Stiles grinned at Kate as he broke free from the Witch Hazel cuffs as if they were nothing because they were to him. Take that for dramatic flair, Kate.

Everyone faces showed shocked expressions and paused long enough for Stiles to send bright red sparks into the sky just like in Harry Potter signaling his pack. Right on cue, he heard the wail of the Banshee aimed at the wall taking it down while the outer wall was blown by dynamite Allison became fond of over the years.

The guards scrambled around getting out their weapons but they didn’t have much of a chance because Stiles’ Pack entered the Camp. Allison and Chris stood on top of the crumbling wall, Chris taking out the guards from behind while Allison started rapid firing arrows into the courtyard. Scott, Kira, Liam, Hayden, Cory, and Mason came in and started taking out guards. Lydia grabbed Danny and took him in the direction of the control room.

Danny’s job was to shut down the electricity to the entire Camp. Everything ran on electricity in the Camp except the prisoner cells which were old fashioned. Strike one for the Argents. Having everything high tech was not in their favor. The high-tech doors locked down permanently with no electricity trapping the people inside leaving fewer guards to fight off. Stiles was fighting guards until he saw the lights go out which was his cue to go free the Supernaturals from their cells.

Stiles rushed back down the large vaulted corridor they had taken him through to get to the courtyard. The corridor was lined with big iron doors that led to the halls with the cells. Stiles knew Scott had followed him into the corridor.

“Can you open all the doors at once?” Scott asked as he kept the guards away from Stiles.

“Yeah dude, it’s not going to be easy but at least I can work with iron. After that I have to get all the bars to open, though,” Stiles mind was working out how best to do it. He needed a surge in power because he was running low on energy and this was a big thing to do anyway. Stiles focused on the land and could feel the Ley Lines beneath the Camp. Strike two for the Argent’s. They placed their Camp on a bunch of Ley Lines.

Stiles turned to Scott.

“Dude what did they-” Scott started to whine out upon seeing Stiles up close for the first time.

“Not now. I can get them out. You need to lead them out of here. I’m going to get Derek he’s chained up probably because he’s Kate’s favorite,” Stiles ordered Scott. Stiles wanted nothing more than to pull him in for a long hug but they had shit to do.

Scott only nodded.

Stiles turned back around and focused on the Ley Lines. He focused on pulling the energy from the Lines and directing it to the doors opening them all at once. There were loud bangs all through the corridor as the doors opened. Everyone else was out taking care of the guards and clearing a path for the Supernaturals to escape through. Next Stiles focused on the cell doors doing the same to them. He heard them opening. Stiles could feel blood start to drip from his nose at the exertion his body was giving.

“Get them out Scott,” Stiles said before he ran down the hall towards Derek. As he passed the other cells he yelled for them to leave, that there were people out there ready to help them escape.

Stiles finally go to Derek’s cell the door was open and the Betas were trying to break the chains off of him. This was the first-time Stiles really saw the four Werewolves. The female was blonde. Stiles could tell which one was Jackass no problem he basically exuded jackass. Stiles saw the other two trying to help Derek.   

“Let me,” Stiles suggested from the entrance of Derek’s cell. He walked in without any cue and tapped the chains with his magic willing them to open. The chains cuffed on his ankles and wrists fell away one at a time. Stiles looked at Derek and saw red eyes looking back at him.

“Told you I’d see you again,” Stiles chuckled. He knew the others were looking at him like he was nuts but all Stiles could focus on was Derek.

“We gotta go. The pack has vehicles waiting but we might have already missed them,” Stiles urged. They had everything planned out. Each of the Pack would have a large vehicle of some type ready to take as many escapees to their Protected Territory. Once that vehicle ran out of gas they would to walk on foot to the next designated location and locate the next vehicle. Of course, the Argent’s had to choose what was Washington DC as their headquarters for their military-run state. What made it worse was how far they were from Beacon Hills. They had planned all of it out. Danny was going to hack into the Argent system to keep them off the radar as best he could.

Stiles turned and started to jog down the corridor. They needed to get out. Stiles didn’t want to spend another minute in the hell hole. When he got to the corridor it was empty. Stiles knew Scott could get everyone out.

They ran down to the courtyard which had a lot more fire than the last time he saw it. Stiles knew the others followed him. He headed to the break in the walls. When they got to the section between the walls faced about ten guards. Derek jumped forward taking a bullet for Stiles and the Betas before Derek took off after the guards. Stiles followed him.

Stiles heard a guy behind him let out a groan and when he looked the guy had an arrow lodged in his chest. Stiles grinned before yelling, “Thanks, Allison.” It dawned on Stiles that he had no idea what happened to Gerard and Kate. His luck they wouldn’t be dead.

They continued to run through to the outer wall but they stopped again. His question about the Argent’s life span was answered when he heard, “You lost me my favorite toy” from behind him.

Stiles didn’t have any time to react he only heard an echoing roar and a single gunshot. When he looked up he saw Derek holding Kate’s head in one hand as her body laid on the ground at his feet.  

“Hey, you were listening!” Stiles yelled rather surprised. He felt like he was going to vomit or pass out or both. He had been doing this shit for four years. Stiles couldn’t sleep most of the time because of all the shit he has seen.

Stiles heard growling behind him and when turned he saw Allison being pushed behind Scott away from the Betas. Stiles completely ignored the Betas and ran up to Scott and Allison pulling them both into hugs.

“You are never doing anything like this again,” Scott mumbled into Stiles torn and frankly gross shirt. Stiles looked to Allison who was looking at her aunt’s decapitated body. He was going to say something but was interrupted.

“Too bad Gerard got away,” Allison said before turning to give Stiles a dimpled smile. She looked sad but also relieved. Stiles couldn’t imagine what she felt. Her mom was dead. Her aunt was a bitch and now dead. Her grandfather was nuts and one of the whole caused by the god damn war sparking fear and creating a wildfire from it that tore the country apart. Chris never left her though and she gained a new family from it all at least.

“They’re regrouping we need to leave,” Allison rushed out as she saw the guards escaping the burning building. The fire from the courtyard spread to engulf the Camp. Orders could be heard gathering the remaining men to go after the escapees.

“We don’t have another vehicle!” Scott yelled upset. There were a lot more Supernaturals and sympathizers in the Camp than anticipated. All the spaces were taken up and on top of that, there were more guards alive than they would have liked.  

“Radio in, tell them to go,” Stiles ordered. They didn’t have time. They needed to follow the plan and get the hell out of here. They had a backup plan for this at least.

“Go. We’ll go with plan B. Per usual,” Stiles sighed. He made them come up with an alternative/worst case scenario plan and well here they are.

“But you won’t--” Scott started.

“No. No arguments. It will take me longer to get back but that’s the point we knew it would be harder to get some out than others,” Stiles was clear in his meaning leaving no room for argument.

Stiles saw Allison fire off a few arrows before she yelled, “We need to go!”

“I’ll try and keep contact but don’t expect much. We will be fine,” Stiles assured them. Allison, Scott, and Lydia looked less than pleased.

“You be careful,” Lydia murmured as she pulled Stiles into a hug. She was the one who backed him up on having an alternate plan for him. Stiles could be tracked easier than the others because of the strength of his magic if he wasn’t careful. Besides that, they knew he would piss off the most people and they would go after him. Another factor was Derek. The Hale fire had a role in starting all of this and Gerard would not let Derek go especially now that Kate lay decapitated in the rubble of the Camp.

Lydia turned and left without another word.

“Stiles you can’t--” Scott tried as he reached out to Stiles.

Stiles pulled Scott into a tight hug feeling the most relaxed he has since he left home, “I’ll see you soon.”

“Stiles--”

“We have to,” Allison yelled as she rushed to Stiles giving him a hug and two backpacks they packed as part of the backup plan. Allison pulled Scott away.

The guards split into a few groups and started to fan out looking for the escapees. Stiles threw one of the backpacks at Derek, whose eyes were still glowing bright red since the time he got out and slung the other on his back. Everyone was watching him. Stiles walked up to Derek holding his hand out towards the bullet wound in Derek’s shoulder. Stiles got close enough to draw a healing rune in Derek’s blood on his bare chest. The rune would heal the wound and take out the Wolfsbane.

“Let’s go,“ Stiles said before he started to jog away from the Camp and guards towards the dense woods the Camp was surrounded by.

Stiles wasn’t sure how long they jogged for but the light was fading and he really needed to rest. He pushed himself and his magic a lot today. The others for the past while have been growling at each other more and more. Stiles knew they needed to find shelter for the night and rest.

Stiles slowed so he was walking at a much slower pace before saying, “We need to find shelter.” He looked over to Derek who was already looking at him, eyes glowing bright red. Stiles thought he could see approval but he wasn’t sure. Derek still wasn’t speaking.

“What you don’t have that planned out?” jackass snarked from behind them.

“This is a contingency plan, jackass,” Stiles answered without looking at the Beta. Stiles pulled out the map he was following. He had it charmed so that his location showed up on the map, thank you, Marauders, for that idea. Stiles knew they were headed in the right direction.

“Where are we going anyway?” the female asked. Stiles really needed some introductions but shelter first.

“Pittsburgh or well the outskirts,” Stiles answered before he started walking again before anyone could ask him more questions.

They kept walking until Derek made a noise making Stiles look up. Not too far to the right of them were a few rock formations. Stiles really wasn’t feeling sleeping on the ground but at least the ground generally liked him because you know magic. They walked, this time following Derek past a few of the rock formations. Eventually, Derek stopped at one that looked less welcoming than the others. Stiles was about to question him but Derek only growled a little as to emphasize his point. Guess they were staying there then.

Stiles threw down his backpack, “There is enough food in the backpacks for today and tomorrow for the six of us. We can restock tomorrow. I’m going to get firewood,” Stiles informed them. He hadn’t planned on having four other Weres tagging along so they would have to make due. Hopefully, the other parts of his plan would work.

Stiles realized that Derek followed him as Stiles gathered firewood. Derek wasn’t picking any sticks up, though. Stiles kept going until he couldn’t carry any more wood. He looked over and saw Derek standing holding nothing. Before Stiles decided what he was doing he walked over and pushed the pile of sticks from his arms into Derek’s.

Stiles kept going putting more sticks and logs into Derek’s arms before they were too full then he started collecting some to carry himself.

“You could take those back to the others you know,” Stiles commented slightly bitterly because he really wanted a minute alone. He hasn’t been alone since the Argent’s caught him and he really wanted to have a minor freak out over everything and like smell fresh air all alone.  

Derek didn’t move.

Stiles kept collecting more until he couldn’t carry anymore and started to walk back to the others.

Derek followed.

Stiles tried to calm his anger. He wanted to be alone for five minutes. He didn’t know if Derek didn’t trust him, which wouldn’t be surprising, but really five minutes.

“Oh good, you have wood. How exactly are we supposed to make fire,” jackass badgered when he saw them. Stiles ignored the comment. He walked over and threw the sticks down in a pile before grabbing a few of them and putting them closer to their makeshift camp. Stiles then went to get a few rocks for a border. After that, he placed everything where he wanted it making a nice little fire pit of sorts.  Inside he drew the rune for fire without anyone noticing. He could normally just make fire without the rune but it’s been a long couple of days. Stiles sat down in front of the fire pit and looked up.

Everyone watched Stiles. Good. Stiles made eye contact with jackass then looked at the fire pit. Stiles snapped his fingers focusing on the rune under the sticks and sticks started to glow with flames. Stiles was watching jackasses face the whole time and couldn’t help but smirk at the shock on jackass’s face.

“Right then,” Stiles said before he got both backpacks and started to dig through them. He noticed the water canteens they had used while they were jogging/walking were gone. Stiles looked up and noticed one of the others coming back from somewhere with them.

“You are officially my favorite,” Stiles said to the Beta who didn’t acknowledge him at all. Instead, he went and grabbed the cups from the backpacks and started filling them up with water before handing them out.

“How do we know it’s not poisoned?” the female asked.

“Guess we’ll find out,” Stiles cheered before he drank some from the cup. Stiles started digging through the backpacks. He pulled out the food and started to separate it. He split it evenly and handed out that night's meal.

“You call this food?” Jackass muttered as he looked at the crackers and apple he was handed.

“Better than moldy rolls,” Stiles snarked.

They all ate in silence around the fire before Stiles spoke up, “Okay seriously its introduction time what the hell are your names.”

Stiles pointed at the female Beta who gave him a smirk in return, “Erica.” Stiles moved on to the Beta who brought the water who was sitting next to Erica.

“Boyd,” came the reply. It was the first time he heard him speak. Stiles nodded at him.

“I know your name. You’re jackass,” Stiles said before the Beta could reply. Erica started to laugh and through her laughter said, “his names Jackson but close enough.” Stiles was starting to like her.

Stiles pointed to the next one. “Isaac,” came the shy voice he recognized from the Camp.

“Great, now who the hell are you?” Erica asked.

“Stiles Stilinski, nice to meetcha,” Stiles said with his best smile. He looked over to Derek and found Derek already looking at him. Stiles had no clue what the dudes deal was.

“So, you care to explain what the hell is going on?” Erica demanded of him. She was slightly terrifying Stiles realized, especially now that the wasn’t locked behind bars.

“Uh about what? The plan to get home or—wait how much do you guys know about the war?” Stiles asked them. He hadn’t thought about how long they had been in the Camp. He knew Derek had been with the Argent’s for about four years and at least three must have been in the Camp, but he had no idea about the others.

“Not much,” Isaac murmured. Isaac was sitting closest to Stiles out of all of them, well except Derek. Derek was pretty close to him too but kept back from the fire.

“Uh, so you want me to start at the beginning?” Stiles inquired looking around at all their faces. He really didn’t want to do this because hello four really crappy years here. But when Derek nodded at him Stiles relented.

“Right um.” Stiles had no damn clue where to actually start or what he should say. He’s good at babbling but this was different. The world they knew literally went to shit. They are in the events that cause popular books about the world ending like the Hunger Games, Divergent, Scorch Trials, dystopian things. They are living in the rebellions that the books were set after.

“So, the Hale Fire. No one knew anyone survived. Apparently, Peter was crispy after it and couldn’t exactly make himself known. Cora and Malia hid him and tried to stay alive. I don’t know everything that happened they didn’t tell me everything,” Stiles started but looked over to see Derek looking at his hands concentrating hard. Stiles didn’t know Derek’s story. All he knew is that sometime after the fire Derek was captured and kept by the Argent’s.

“My dad. He’s the Sheriff of Beacon Hills. He caught Kate Argent at the Hale House, apparently wanted to see it burn or something utterly evil. Well, I’ll skip to the trial because that’s where shit went wrong for the collective whole of everyone ever. During the trial it wasn’t looking good for Kate until she decided to, well really it was Gerard who decided, anyway they brought a Werewolf into the courtroom to prove the existence of the Supernatural. Fucking assholes. The plan got worse because the Were broke free and tried to escape the courtroom except he killed a few people who tried to stop him before he was brought down by Gerard.” Stiles paused for a minute taking a sip of water. Stiles figured that Derek had been caught during the fire and taken then but he wasn’t sure. No one knew the exact events.

“Shit hit the fan, everyone started to panic. The whole attempt to escape was caught by news reports and a man turned into a wolf on camera. It was a mess just how the Argent’s planned it. Kate got off no punishment. Gerard was hailed as an expert and some great fucking savior of humanity. He started doing interviews, videos, the whole propaganda shit. He told the world about all Supernatural creatures, not just Weres and how the Hunter’s Council had protected humans in secret for hundreds of years. Load of fucking shit.”

“Gerard kept making his way up through the government with awards and plans to create some official security council which was basically the Hunter’s Council, all with Kate at his side. They proposed to make the Hunter’s Council of which Gerard was the head an official part of the government to protect humans. The government reacting to the people’s fear agreed to try and calm everyone down except that got the Hunter’s and the Argent’s into Washington. Fear was running high everywhere the Council didn’t stop it, hell they didn’t even try. People were killing each other out of fear. There were riots, hangings, destruction. The Hunter’s got everyone to be terrified of all Supernaturals. No one was safe human, Supernatural, no one. Well giving the Hunter’s Council special permissions in a case of crisis just gave Gerard a way in. He pulled a Hitler. He set loose a bunch of Ferals, all types of creatures, causing a mass crisis. The Hunter’s Council took over the government and never gave it back.” Stiles felt the bile start to rise but he sat back against the rock and took a few breaths. He never thought he would endure an apocalypse, a government overthrown, a Fascist regime, and be a part of the resistance. This is shit in movies and books. 

“While all of this was going on before the Hunter’s Council took over to create the Argent State there were protests. Like I said a lot of violence. In the early days, a huge outpouring of Supernaturals marched peacefully. Thousands of them in every major city. It wasn’t peaceful for long. A lot of people died. The peace marches were okay until Hunter’s showed up and started massacring the marchers claiming the Supernaturals started it after the fact.”

“When that failed some of the more powerful magic users started to develop a plan. Essentially to put up wards around as much land as we could. A lot of the magic users belonged to packs so they started with the pack lands and built up from there. So, a worst case scenario plan was you know there but it was worst case only. Those wards take a lot of time, effort, and magic to make and to hold.” Stiles stopped again this part was easier to talk about.

“How did you get involved in the Supernatural?” Came Isaac’s quiet voice. Stiles liked Isaac a lot. Although quiet he seemed the most in control, other than Boyd whose entire demeanor was calm.

“Oh! Um, my mom was a powerful magic user after she died she left me all her books so I went from there and taught myself. I never told anyone thought. Well until Scott, my best friend well more like a brother, was attacked by a Feral Alpha stumbling through Beacon Hills. That was before the Hale Fire. I told him, then Lydia started developing her Banshee-ness and suddenly I was surrounded by fellow Supernaturals.” Stiles smiled at the thought. Scott being bit might have been the best thing to happen to him because he gained a family.

Stiles saw Derek’s head snap up to him.

“What happened to the Alpha?” Boyd asked.

“I killed him. He was attacking Scott. So that was my grand coming out to Scott. Well one of them anyway,” Stiles snorted.

Derek was staring at Stiles.

“You never knew how the Alpha died?” Stiles asked him. He knew the Hale Pack would have been aware of it finding the body and such.

Derek only shook his head no.

“Well anyway, I’m off track. So I got wind of the plan for the Protected Territories. I started designing my own wards to protect Beacon Hills. No way was I letting my family die because of some Fascist anti-Supernatural assholes trying to exterminate me and mine.”

“The Hunter’s Council taking over was a lot sooner than anyone was prepared for. I mean only a year after the Hale Fire. Shit, riding fear can get shit done fast. But once the Hunter’s Council was in and the Government no longer belonged to the people and instead belonged to Argent, barriers over any pack with an emissary went up. Some had grouped together to build them. They were farther along.”

“It could have worked better with more time but also some magic users started working with the Argent’s, in return for protection that never actually came, telling them about the plan for the ward. Argent was prepared.” Stiles paused and put a few more logs on the fire. This was one hell of a long story.

“A lot of the barriers or wards, the weaker ones or the ones known about fell easily. A lot of people died. Some stayed thought. But new problems came up, those in Protected Territories were cut off from everything. Plans for food, housing for refugees, hell clean water, all of it had yet to happen. Some planned ahead or got lucky that they had electricity. Like I said, there wasn’t a lot of time to work out the fundamental protection, the magic, the casting, plus necessities.”

“People started to abandon some territories trying to migrate to others. It was a disaster. There wasn’t enough of anything for anyone. So, communal living, barter, the whole lot started up and continues.”

“But you said Beacon Hills was-” Erica started to interrupt.

“Well not all of us were ill prepared.” Stiles gave a sardonic smile.

“I had some help of course but I planned damn well for everything. I worked with some people around the Hale Territory. Had them join in, of course I didn’t tell them much of anything because I knew all of three people I could trust: my dad, Lydia, and Scott.” Stiles was immensely grateful for his family. His dad took care of finding the necessities for staying alive and actually maintaining some normality after the wards went up. He located the electrical plants, water, farms, even warehouses that could be turned into homes. Lydia helped both his dad and him with the placement of wards and what needed to be in them. It was totally a team effort.

“Allison and Chris came to me after Allison met Scott though, which was well frankly surprising as fuck. I didn’t trust them at all. I triple checked everything they gave me. But they proved themselves giving info on the Hunter’s Council, onwards, more magic books the lot. It – it helped.”

“Anyway, Beacon Hills Protected Territory is one of four still holding strong. It’s also the largest. The others are in Pittsburgh, a small one in southern Florida, and one that takes up what was North and South Dakota as well as Minnesota. A kid I went to school with, a human sympathizer and all around genuinely good dude developed our own network for the internet and he constantly monitors the Argent’s. We have a pretty fucking cool operation really. Coded messages, own networks, safe trails to the territory. It would be a lot cooler if it was a movie and not reality.” Stiles muttered the last part as he scrubbed his hand over his head and down his face. He was exhausted. Not just from the last few weeks but the last few years.

“How strong are you exactly?” Isaac asked quietly from his spot close to Stiles. He seemed to have moved closer to Stiles the more Stiles talked.

“Uh, I guess my official title is High Mage.” Stiles shrugged no one actually told him. Once Stiles said it he heard Derek take a large breath through his nose in what Stiles thought was shock. Derek stared at Stiles.

“So how did you know about the Camp?” Jackson asked.

“We heard rumors about it from refugees coming in, plus from Chris and Allison. But Danny, he can sometimes intercept messages and hacks in to get blueprints and things.”

“Would you have freed us if it weren’t for Derek?” Erica asked. Stiles was surprised that she didn’t snarl it.

“We do raids into the Argent State to free Supernaturals. The Camp had been on the top of the list since we heard about it. We didn’t know how to do it, though. Surviving prevailed over a suicide mission. But Danny got the blueprints and location. We started planning but it was rough at best. We would work on it when we had a chance but frankly, it was a dream goal. No one knew if we could do it so we didn’t try. But we kept hearing stories from refugees coming in saying that they lost someone and they were taken to the Camp. Once we found out that all Supernaturals were being diverted to the Camp, instead of the smaller holding areas, we started planning more. Then the Hale’s came into our lives. We decided to try.”

“So, what’s the Argent State like then?” Boyd asked.

“Propaganda against Suernaturals. It’s basically a military state. I don’t know the logistics of their food supply, electricity or whatever but they have most of the major cities. They probably have closer to what life was like than the Protected Territories but we try out best.” Stiles defended his work and effort of the last few years. They had done so much to try and live, to thrive not just survive.

“We didn’t mean anything,” Erica murmured. They all were looking at him different than they had been before. He didn’t know what that meant.

“Will they be able to find us here during the night?” Isaac asked no one in particular.

“Your Alpha was very picky. Though it is a pretty damn good spot seclusion wise. I say we take shifts on guard just in case,” Stiles suggested. The others nodded.

“I’ll go first,” Boyd offered leaving little room for argument.

Derek growled, “Alright Derek’s after Boyd,” Stiles said then added, “I can go after him.” The others nodded except Derek who only looked at him.

“Then me,” Erica said.

“I’m after Erica,” Jackson said, leaving Isaac to be last on watch. With that set, Stiles passed out what he could for blankets. There weren’t enough blankets for everyone but they would have to make do. Stiles somehow ended up with Derek beside him while laying down sharing a blanket. Erica was shoved against him than Isaac and finally Jackson.

Stiles only sighed and tried to get some sleep.

\--

They made it through the night and as soon as dawn hit they were putting out the fire, filling up on water, and eating some more food before heading out.

Stiles once again pulled out his map and started heading to the nearest Protected Territory.

“So where are we going exactly?” Boyd asked. Stiles gathered he was the more sensible of the Beta’s.

“Outskirts of Pittsburgh. It’s a Protected Territory but we can’t really go in. I arranged it so that we will get a vehicle packed with what food they could give us. I had a feeling I would end up with plan B so I have the coordinates.” Some of the Protected Territories were warier than others. The one in Pittsburgh was the closest to the Argents headquarters. They took the most and hardest hits because if it. Stiles made a deal that they wouldn’t enter but he would really appreciate a vehicle gassed up and some supplies.

“We can use the roads?” Jackson asked sounding surprised.

“Like I said they kept a lot of the life we knew before. It’s not fool proof. They track everything but Danny is looking out of us.”

“Do you think we will make it there, to Beacon Hills?” Isaac quietly asked.

Stiles spun around from his spot leading them to look directly at them but especially Isaac, “No force Supernatural or otherwise will stop me from getting home. We will make it.” Stiles was never more sure of anything. He knew it was going to be hard but he would get home.

“What? Have a girl waiting for you or something? I mean it’s doubtful really look at you,” Jackass opened his mouth. Stiles was struck by how normal assholeish it was. Like a bully in school. Stiles hadn’t thought that was, not that he was a bully, more like the bullied, but he never thinks about teenager things. He’s always busy with fixing problems, protecting people. Stiles feels a wave a sadness come over him thinking about how long he’s been an adult even though he’s all of eighteen years old. For everything, they have been through the Beta’s were still teenagers. Stiles realized he isn’t. Jackson’s words also made him angry.

“Listen Jackass, I have an entire territory full of terrified people relying on my wards holding for them to survive. That includes my dad, the only family I have left other than the pack. I promised him I would come home. I promised my pack I would come home. Hell, I don’t even know if I can call them my people but everyone knew what we were doing. I will make it home.” Stiles realized how forceful that was so he added, “besides girls aren’t really my thing.”

Everyone was watching him again. Stiles felt like that happened a lot. He huffed out some air before turning on his heel and walking again. He could feel them staring at his back but he didn’t know what to say. He’s been in the middle of war for years, he grew up with it. It makes him simultaneously sad and tired.

Everyone was silent for a while after his outburst. Derek was walking beside him on Stiles right and seemed to never drop his constant vigilance, which Stiles was immensely grateful for. Isaac was just behind Stiles on his left. Stiles wasn’t sure but he thought Jackson was bringing up the rear with Erica and Boyd in the middle. Stiles followed the map but took detours now and then for water and to throw anyone possible following them off track. They didn’t have time to stop much but every now and then they would take a few minutes to sit and munch on some food.

After their latest break, Erica stood where Isaac had been. Isaac made a small sound of confusion but soon stepped next to Boyd. Stiles felt Erica looking at him every now and then and it was making him uneasy. Eventually, she spoke up.

“So what exactly can you do? Like magic wise? Did your mom have the same magic?” Erica spewed out a bunch of questions at him. Stiles looked over his shoulder and blinked at her. She was brash and loud but Stiles knew from the time in the Camp that she could be timid too. Stiles liked her.

“My mom didn’t actually have magic. Well, that’s not right she did. I didn’t know this until I found her stuff after she died. She left me a letter. I found out that she was stripped of her magic by her family because she married my dad, a human.” Stiles remembered going up to the attic to get away for a while. His mom always went up there she had a studio of sorts Stiles always thought. When he was young he was never allowed there. When she died he spent all his time there. He found all her books and herbs. He also found a letter addressed to him along with a journal. His mom wrote down everything she remembered about growing up with magic and about her family. She wrote about how it felt to lose it all but that it was worth it to have him and his dad.

Stiles realized he had been quiet for too long when Derek whined softly.

“She left me all her books on magic. She even collected some for me when she realized how much power I actually had. She also had a theory about that too. See it’s extremely unusual to have someone at my age be a High Mage. Hell, it’s almost completely unheard of. It’s unnatural for magic to be taken away by force without doing anything against nature. Her theory was that when her family took her power they didn’t actually get it. It was stored sort of and saved for her future child. She wrote that I had been able to accomplish all the things she could do before her magic was taken. It was like the ability was just given to me. She even tested it,” Stiles smiled remembering his mom coming up with new crazy fun magic things for him to do.

“Plus I have magic in my own right. So, I have double the magic because of my mom.”

“Yeah okay but what can you do? I mean like can you wingardium leviosa shit or not?” Erica urged him with a bump on the shoulder as they kept walking.

Stiles barked out a laugh at her, “No. Well yeah, but those aren’t the words. Magic in my family is based on the belief that you can do magic. It’s literally in us. Magic is a part of us. I know that and I believe I can use that part of me. From there I had to memorize entire books on runes. They help spark the magic, help me direct it. I have a few runes tattooed. Well, they are protection and healing. Having them kind of guides my magic into doing those things like in the Camp when I started to heal faster after that disgusting mixture of herbs and I don’t even know what all was electrocuted off me and rendered useless.”

“That’s it?” Jackson snarked from the pack of the group.

“No that’s like basic. Kids are better with the shapes of the runes than learning Latin, Greek, Gaelic, and a whole shit ton of other languages,” Stiles sassed back. He hated learning all of those languages as a kid but now it’s pretty cool.

“So, like I said I can wingardium leviosa shit but those aren’t the words.” Stiles laughed as Erica looked at him in amazement. “Some things come easier than others, if I have to think the spell or say it or what, it all varies based on practice and on how comfortable I am with things. Also, how much magic I have.”

“You don’t always have the same amount of magic?” Boyd asked. Stiles was getting tired of the long-winded questions, to be honest. They were mostly about him too.

“No, exhaustion, physical or not, wounds, previous use of magic, resting time all have factors. Like I have been using the hell out of my magic busting out of Camp and this entire experience has been anything but relaxing. I’m not up to my usual but it’s not as bad as I have been on past raids yet,” Stiles ended brightly. Some of the past raids he ended up either almost dying from wounds or unconscious for a few days because he used so much magic. He hasn’t reached that yet thankfully.

Derek whined again.

“Dude we need to work on your vocabulary,” Stiles turned the topic away from himself.

“He’s Feral according to—” Erica cut off then added, “He’s stuck,” Erica replied to Stiles not really concerned with insulting her Alpha but didn’t mention Kate directly either. The relationship between Derek and his Betas confused Stiles. The Camp held their bonding back not to mention Derek being Feral.

“Less Feral than before. I know you’re in there dude. It would be great if you didn’t speak in whines,” Stiles replied. Derek’s eyes have been red since they left the Camp. The whole time Stiles has been around Derek he’s been in his Beta form.

“You sure he can come back?” Erica asked.

“Positive,” Stiles affirmed. Ferals needed something to come back to, though. Usually, their anchor pulls them back. It doesn’t always work but it can. Derek, being out of the situation he was in is already doing better.

They all lapsed into silence as they kept walking. They had gone really far yesterday because they had jogged most of the way to distance themselves from the Camp and the guards chasing after them. The trip to Pittsburgh takes about three days anyway but so far they have made good time because Werewolves were stupidly fast. They knew how likely they Hunter’s following them was so they kept their pace fast. One more night camping in the woods and then they will have a vehicle. Hopefully.

“Okay, so how old are all of you?” Stiles asked. He knew so little about the people he was traveling with. He knew the basics about Derek but he wasn’t exactly able to hold a conversation well.

“We are all eighteen except Derek,” Boyd answered. Boyd was definitely the most sensible of them all. He was calm and steady. Boyd seemed most controlled and aware of himself as a Werewolf other than Isaac but Isaac was skittish. Erica was erratic but nice enough. She had control but only at times but she made a lot of geek references so he was game. Isaac was quiet. He flinched at everything and stayed close to Derek or Stiles. Stiles had no clue why Isaac was okay with him. Jackson was a jackass. Stiles thinks it’s a defense mechanism but then again he really doesn’t know these people. He’s only picking up on mannerisms from them. Most of the time since the escape they haven’t talked unless it's Stiles answering their questions.

“How’d you end up in the Camp?” Stiles asked. He was curious sue him. Also, he really wanted to know who he was traveling with.

The question earned him a growl from Derek.

Stiles looked up to see Derek glaring at him. “Dude, not your Beta and you don’t scare me,” Stiles commented as he brushed past Derek. He heard Erica’s surprised laughter behind him.

Stiles felt someone come up and wrap their hands around his left arm and kept walking, “I had epilepsy and it was seen as a weakness so I was taken to the Camp and Derek was forced to bite me. I survived and I cured but stuck in that awful place for a year or two I’m not sure how long exactly,” Erica eventually confessed from her spot beside him. Her hands had tightened on his arm and her claws came out but they didn’t scratch him.

“Were you the first?” Stiles asked. He clenched his fist in fury at people being used as if they were nothing. Stiles clenched his teeth to stop himself from raging. Stiles knew the Argent’s were truly awful but this was disgusting, their use of people. Stiles felt nauseous thinking about what Erica went through. How many were treated like this by the Argent’s?

“No, I was,” came Issacs’s timid voice. Stiles looked over his shoulder and motioned for Isaac to come up to his other side in between him and Derek. Isaac cautiously walked up and Stiles linked their arms and waited to see if Isaac would say more.

“My dad he – he abused me long before all of this started. He was the head of a large graveyard and I worked for him. The Argent’s came to him one day and made a deal with him to use the graveyard. I was only supposed to dig shallow graves but I couldn’t just let people be in shallow graves. I couldn’t--” Isaac’s voice broke he took a breath and then continued, “He was so mad he just gave me to them.”

Stiles was angry and disgusted before but now he was pissed. Not just at the Argent’s but at Isaac’s father. He untangled his arm from Isaac’s and put it around his waist. People should never be treated as objects to be used.

“They trained me to be a guard. I did it to try and support my family. One day a little girl escaped the bars I think she fit through them somehow I don’t know. I was told to kill her but I refused. I was made an example of. I don’t know what they did to my family,” Boyd’s calm voice came from behind the others. Stiles knew he was a good dude before but now.

The only one who didn’t answer was Jackson. They continued to walk in silence. Jackson remained quiet.

Derek motioned for them to stop and find a place for camp. Stiles was dead tired of walking but hopefully, they would have a vehicle tomorrow. Eventually, Derek came back and led them to a little hill hidden behind trees and bushes. Stiles didn’t even know how Derek found it in the first place it was so well hidden.

Stiles stared at Derek as he moved around making sure the place was as safe as it seemed for the middle of the woods that is.

Derek looked up at Stiles one he was done and it snapped Stiles out of his thoughts, “right well same as last night yeah?”

He got nods in reply.

Stiles dropped his pack and turned to go find firewood. Exactly like the day before Derek followed him. Stiles piled logs and sticks in Derek’s arms and then his own before they headed back to camp. The others were drinking water that Body had found.

It was almost like déjà vu how similar it was to the night before except they talked more about life before. They avoided the subject of the Camp in favor of lighter conversation. Stiles started to get to know them better little by little.

\--

Later when the fire was going and the sun had been down for a while Jackson spoke up breaking the silence that had settled over the clearing.

“Before Supernaturals were exposed I made a deal with an Alpha to turn me. I don’t know how the Argent’s found out but they did and well I guess I got what I wanted didn’t I,” Jackson scuffed self-deprecatingly.

“Why did you want to be a Were?” Stiles asked. He probably should learn to keep his mouth shut.

Jackson glared at him, “Thought it would help me be better.” Jackson answered with a surprisingly low amount of snark.

Stiles raised his eyebrows in question at him.

“I’m not giving you some sob story,” Jackson said before he laid down and closed his eyes ending the conversation.

Stiles kept thinking about the Beta’s stories the whole time they were walking and now he adds another one.

\--

They had been walking for a few hours. No one really slept well. As soon as the sun came up they were leaving their makeshift camp. Stiles frankly could not wait to get to the vehicle and get closer to home.

They walked in relative quiet. Every now and then someone would comment on one thing or another but they seemed to be more anxious than anything.

“We are a few miles away from the coordinates,” Stiles announced. He had been staring at the map the closer they got.

No one responded, they all just started to walk a little faster.

The closer they got the more Stiles felt like something was going to go wrong. He had this feeling and it wasn’t a good one.

“Guys slow down,” Stiles commanded in a quiet yet strong voice. He has learned to listen to his magic and right now his magic was saying something was wrong.

“What, why? We are so close,” Jackson scoffed as he kept walking right past Stiles.

Before Stiles could say anything Derek howled and took off leaping in front of Jackson.

Right as Derek moved in front of Jackson gun shots rang.

“Get back!” Stiles shouted as he pulled up the first shield he could think of. He started saying the Latin just as Isaac, Erica, and Boyd huddled closer to him all shifted into Beta form watching their surroundings.

“Derek,” Stiles screamed across the clearing to where Derek was collapsing against Jackson.

Wolfsbane, Stiles thought. Fuck. The coordinates for the vehicle were through the patch of woods they were in and across the clearing. Derek and Jackson were at the very edge of the woods and not sheltered from the bullets.

Stiles knew he had to get them out of there.

“Stay hidden I’m going to get them,” Stiles ordered the three behind him. He didn’t give them time to argue. He just took off with his shield still in front of him and headed towards Derek and Jackson. He pushed the shield out in front of him to cover them as he got closer.

“Let’s go!” Stiles yelled. He watched as Jackson and Derek looked up at him and started to run towards him and the trees for cover.

“How many are there?” Stiles asked as soon as they were all together again hidden by the trees along the clearing.

“A lot,” came Erica’s reply. Stiles remembered they didn’t know how to pinpoint heartbeats, they were never actually trained. Fuck. And to top it all off Derek couldn’t tell him how many there were either. Stiles looked over Derek and saw he had a couple of bullet holes in him. Stiles needed time to heal them but they didn’t have the luxury of time.

“Fuck. We need to get to the other side of the clearing now.” Stiles said before he looked at Derek, “Can you hear anyone on the other side of the clearing straight across?” Stiles asked.

Derek shook his head no.

“We are going to make a run for it. We don’t have time to go around the clearing when they are closing in. We have to get to the vehicle first which means through,” Stiles muttered thinking out loud.

“How exactly are we going to go through the clearing!” Jackson yelled.

Stiles spun on him looking furious.

“Listen here pup because you not listening to me got us in this shit situation, to begin with. We are going through the clearing and that’s final,” Stiles took off the backpack and handed it to Isaac. “Take this.”

“Can one of you drive?” Stiles asked. Stiles pulled out a knife and started to carve runes into his skin.

“I can,” Boyd answered as he watched Stiles.

“Take the map and do not lose it. You will drive once we get the keys and to the vehicle,” Stiles ordered as he handed the map to Boyd and resumed carving the runes into his arm.

“I’m only saying this once so listen. I will get us through the clearing but it’s going to take a hell of a lot of magic. We do not have much time. Once on the other side, we make a run for the vehicle, Boyd you’re driving and we get there hell out of here. Follow the map and don’t speed it will look too suspicious,” Stiles said as he finished the runes. He took the blade and cut into his hand. He dabbed his finger in the blood welling from his hand and brought it up to Derek. Derek didn’t move, he let Stiles draw a rune on him. Stiles did the same with the others, though they seem less okay with having his blood on them.

Stiles stood up and started chanting a different protection spell than before. The runes would help him protect the people they were drawn on not just a general area.

Stiles looked up and nodded to the others before he stepped into the clearing.

The others followed immediately.

Bullets showered around them but none actually hit them. It was like they were diverted at the last minute.

Stiles could feel his magic draining and getting to the other side of the clearing couldn’t come fast enough.

The minute they were in the trees he looked to Derek who nodded. Stiles let the wards drop so he stopped using so much magic.

They made their way through the patch of trees as quickly and quietly as they could.

“Where’s the vehicle?” Erica whispered looking scared.

Stiles ducked behind some bushes and felt for the keys. They were to be hidden.

Stiles held up the keys for everyone to see before he got up and started walking along the patch of woods. The trees were thin enough that the clearing they came through could be seen but there was enough greenery to hid behind if they stayed down. Stiles came to the end of the patch and sure enough, there was a creepy van waiting for them.

Stiles tossed the keys to Boyd and everyone started to get in. Jackson opened the doors in the back to help Derek in because the Wolfsbane was taking its toll. Before Stiles could hop in the back he was pulled down and felt something slice through the runes on his arm. Stiles screamed.

“Stiles,” an unfamiliar voice screamed in a raspy deep voice. Stiles looked up and saw Derek right above him and guy who sliced his arm dead on the ground.

“Stiles,” the voice came again this time closer to the familiar whines he’s learned how to interpret.

“Now you speak,” Stiles all but slurred out. The gash on his arm was bleeding bad and Stiles could feel it soaking through his clothing.  

Stiles felt himself be lifted up and carried over to the van.

“Get gun, bullets, Wolfsbane,” Stiles muttered. He was losing consciousness between the protection spell and the blood loss.

Stiles blacked out.

\--

“Is he going to be okay?” Stiles heard Erica whisper too loud to actually be a whisper.

“M’fine,” Stiles muttered without even opening his eyes. All the sound in the van but the motor stopped. He could feel them looking at him.

“Said 'm fine,” Stiles repeated.

“You’re alive!” Erica screeched. Stiles winced at the sound.

“You really need to learn how ta listen for heartbeats,” Stiles slurred a little as he opened his eyes to see her face just above his.

Then he heard growling. Stiles looked over and saw Derek sitting beside him completely normal, no glowy eyes or fangs to be seen. He looked down and saw Derek was also taking his pain, watching the black lines run up Derek’s arm.

“How long was I out?” Stiles asked no one in particular but he kept his eyes on Derek. Derek looked so normal but worried. Stiles knew he heard Derek speak, that he was out of the Feral mindset. No way did he imagine that voice.

“Couple of hours,” Boyd answered from the driver’s seat.

“Couple of- where are we?” Stiles asked trying to sit up only to be growled at. Stiles didn’t listen though he sat up anyway though slowly.  

“Somewhere in Ohio,” Boyd answers. Stiles knew generally where the map directions were taking them. He could hear everytime a car passed them. He knew the Argent’s kept a lot of things similar to life before, including transportation. The place they were going though was one most stay away from.

“No one tailing us?”

“Don’t think so.”

“Did you burn the bullets?” Stiles asked Derek who he turned his attention to once again. Stiles noticed he was laid in the back of the van on the floor with one of the blankets covering him. His arm was bandaged so he couldn’t see how bad it was. He also couldn’t feel how bad it was because Derek kept taking his pain.

Derek nodded at him.

“I heard you speak that wasn’t my imagination. Use your words dude,” Stiles scuffed.

“Don’t call me dude,” Derek replied with a glare.

Stiles whooped with joy from where he was leaning against the side of the van.

“So, you aren’t Feral anymore?” Erica curious as always asked. They must not have talked at all after Stiles passed out.

“No,” Derek said looking at Stiles.

“Why not?”

“Because Stiles got hurt,” Derek answered after a pause. Stiles realized that he became Derek’s anchor somewhere along the way. Stiles mind blanked.

“Why the hell am I your anchor?” Stiles asked perplexed by the whole thing. He though Derek didn’t trust him with all the following and not letting him out of Derek’s sight. Stiles knew changing anchors took a lot. The anchor needed to be stable. Stiles didn’t consider himself the most stable thing. Pick an anchor of a single person a Werewolf ran the risk of losing that person and thus their anchor. Stiles met Derek all of a few days ago, so why the heck would it matter to Derek if he got hurt.

Stiles saw a blush rise on Derek cheeks and ears but he didn’t answer.

They sat in silence for a while before Stiles realized Jackson hadn’t made some asshole remark. In fact, Stiles wasn’t even sure he was in the van. Stiles knew Isaac was because as soon as Stiles sat up Isaac was plastered to his side opposite from Derek.   

Stiles looked and saw Jackson in the passenger seat looking out the window. Figured the jackass didn’t care about him.

“Well maybe this is a good time to teach the pups how to take people pain,” Stiles suggested to Derek. Derek hesitated before he nodded but he didn’t let go.

“I can take the pain come on it’s as good a time as any for them to learn,” Derek looked like the last thing he wanted was Stiles to be in pain. Stiles made the decision for him and gently moved his arm out of Derek’s hold.

Stiles face scrunched up as the pain returned.

“Did you have to stitch it?” Stiles asked as he stared at his arm in distaste.

“Yeah, wouldn’t stop bleeding,” Derek answered looking at Stiles like he wanted to snatch his arm back, gently of course. Derek held emotion in his face now aside from the rage of being Feral. He let the Human side take over more back in harmony with the wolf.

“How many?”

“Didn’t count,” Derek answered looking confused and still worried.

“What! Oh, come one you have to count how else am I going to beat Allison!” Stiles whined. They got hurt a lot and always ended up patching up the other sometimes Lydia too but they started a sort of jock about who had the most stitches to keep their minds off the fact that they get hurt a lot.

“You’re insane,” Erica laughed from her seat in front of him. She moved back after Derek growled at her but their legs still touched.

Stiles shrugged, “well we all have to try and find some why to have fun during the apocalypse.”

“Isaac,” Derek called after no one knew what to say to Stiles. He started to give instructions on how to do the pain drain stuff to Isaac and Erica. Stiles wasn’t listening because he taught Scott how to do it so he already knew the basics. Stiles was already thinking to the next part of their plan to get home. Everything was planned, him getting hurt was not a part of that, though anyone who knew him would have said it was inevitable anyway.

Stiles felt the pain start to drain out of him slowly bringing him out of his thoughts. Stiles looked over and saw Isaac look the happiest Stiles had seen him. Isaac looked up at Stiles and smiled even as tears welled up in his eyes. Stiles didn’t even think he just hugged Isaac.

\--

“We are getting low on gas,” Boyd announced to the group. Stiles fell asleep, he was pretty sure the others did too at some point except Boyd. Erica tried to learn to take pain but she couldn’t do it. Jackson wasn’t even offered an attempt and Boyd kept driving.

“Okay, just pull up to the side of the road when it sputters out, preferably on the lake side,” Stiles requested.

“You really do have everything planned out don’t you batman,” Erica commented from beside him.

“I really do Catwoman,” Stiles nodded with a smile.

No one said anything after that and before too long Boyd pulled the van just off the road on an old bridge that had some damage to it. Everyone turned and looked at Stiles except Jackson.

“Alright let’s eat,” Stiles started to hand out the leftover food from the original two backpacks. In the van, there had been food as promised. Not as much as Stiles would have liked but more than expected, plus there were some extra bags and blankets.

Jackson didn’t turn to get his food. Stiles got up and handed it to him. They had already separated what everyone was going to carry although Stiles didn’t tell them why they needed to carry anything because you know, van. Stiles watched as Jackson just put the food he was given in the bag at his feet and continued to look at the window.

Stiles gave a confused look to Derek who didn’t look disturbed at all. Weird.

Once everyone was done eating Stiles made them all get out of the van with their stuff.

“Alright use that Werewolf strength of yours and push the van into the lake. Make sure it goes in completely and you can’t see it!” Stiles chirped as everyone looked at him to the van and back again. Stiles just raised an eyebrow at them. They all moved, then, and pushed the van into the lake watching it sink down until they could no longer see it.

Stiles watched it disappear and then he moved to the large green highway sign saying something about a certain amount of miles to Toledo, Ohio, that was somehow still standing. A lot of things stayed the same. This area faced some worse things than other areas making it more desolate. The bridge and surrounding area although mostly woods looked like they hadn’t been used much in the last few years. The bridge had vines starting to grow on it. Only Supernaturals came up this way and fewer and fewer were migrating now.

Stiles knew everyone was watching him as he pulled a can of spray paint out of his backpack. Stiles hopped up on the wall beside the sign and sprayed ‘EAT A SALAD DAD’. Before he left he said he would mark the place before he left it to let them know he was okay at that point. Danny would be checking. His pack, his dad, would know he was okay.

Stiles got down and walked over to the others. Everyone but Jackson was looking at him curiously.

“He only eats healthy when I tell him to and he’s stressed so I’m just reminding him,” Stiles shrugged. Stiles knew it would make his dad feel a little bit better knowing he was okay.

“What now?” Boyd asked. He had to be tired from driving the whole time after the battle and all that but he never complained.

“Now we go find a place to crash for the night,” Stiles answered as he started walking towards the trees and damaged houses. They had a while to walk yet. The houses were falling apart. On the sides were messages to keep out, some coded that only Supernaturals understood others blatant in their warning of ‘DANGER’. The whole place looked like a movie set but felt like a graveyard.

“What happened here?” Erica asked what everyone was thinking.

“There had been a pretty strong pack around this area with strong magic users. They were one of the first to be turned on when the wards went up. They trusted someone close to them they shouldn’t have. Anyway, Argent’s made a spectacle out of them sending in ground troops with Wolfsbane bullets after planes dropped some bombs first of course,” Stiles remembered bitterly. He remembered watching it as it played over and over again as propaganda for the Argent State.  

“It’s abandoned,” Derek remarked quietly. The houses in shambles with vines crawling up them. Nature and the magic still in the area already started to reclaim it all. Everyone for miles stayed away.

“Out of respect,” Stiles sighed before adding, “it was the first real military attempt at extermination of Supernaturals. Out of respect, people abandoned it, even Hunter’s stay away, think it's cursed. They’re not wrong. The magic users here they were a powerful family of Witch’s that lived with the pack. They vowed to protect the land even in death. Hunter’s get bad vibes, shit starts going wrong if they get too close. Supernatruals and sympathizers can pass through but if they stay for any length of time, try to settle, they are pushed off the land. We use it as a waystation, a safe place to rest for refugees before they continue on to one of the Protected Territories.”

“That’s why this place feels safe,” Derek muttered more to himself than anything. Stiles noticed he wasn’t as shifty looking with the vigilance things as he was before.

“Why can’t this be a safe place if the magic is protecting it?” Erica asked looking around.

“A lot of people died here, an entire Pack and humans too, it’s simply not right to claim land that another pack died for.”

“Isn’t that what you did with the Hale’s though? You thought they all died.”

Stiles looked at Derek who walked beside him but Derek was glaring at Erica. “I never claimed the land in my name. I already lived there and practiced magic there. I became the protector of the land,” Stiles explained. He never claimed it over the Hale’s.

“You did more than that. You kept a pack on the land Hale or not, protected it, you protect it the way my family would. Even then the minute you decided to help my family and me you started to become the Hale Emissary.” Derek spoke quietly with no anger at all. Sometimes during the speak, Derek turned and looked at Stiles.

“First of all, that is the most I ever heard you say. Second, of all, I didn’t mean to become the Hale Emissary I wanted to protect the land and the best way to do that is to have the rightful Alpha.” Stiles really didn’t mean to push himself into the pack hierarchy. He protected his home to the best of his ability and he will continue to do so.

“That’s not how Emissary’s actually work,” Derek muttered.

“What do you mean?” Stiles asked. It was rare that he came across something he didn’t know. He knew about pack dynamics but being a part of a formal pack dynamic wasn’t something he experienced for himself, yet.  

Derek sighed, “The pack has to pick you back. You are in an unusual spot because you protected the Hale land without being asked, but to be Emissary the pack has to approve. All of the pack.”

Stiles was at a loss, “I don’t-- how--”

Erica snorted and Derek huffed, shaking his head. No one spoke anymore.

Stiles could only stare at them. He knew about pack dynamics and all that but he wasn’t ready to actually discuss all this. Stiles barely knew who he was traveling with and they still had to get to safety. Stiles wasn’t ready to discuss all this official stuff yet, not really.

“The house people have been using is just through there,” Stiles pointed ahead and through some trees was one of the few houses still standing relatively intact. People that came to Beacon Hills told them about what places they used on their way and this was one of them. The house was the Pack house. It was the only one still standing completely untouched. Stiles didn’t know how but he imagined magic probably fixed it and kept it. He knew the other houses had been gone through and looted. Some stuff moved to the pack house like beds to fit more people, other stuff simply taken.

“It’s safe?” Isaac asked.

“You really need to teach them to use their ears,” Stiles sighed directing the comment to Derek but bumping his shoulder of his good arm with Isaac’s. Stiles noticed Jackson was trailing behind them so he hung back as Derek led the others to the house.

“What’s up with you?” Stiles asked Jackson who still wasn’t looking at him.

Jackson just kept walking without saying anything.

“Dude, what the hell?”

“Leave me alone,” Jackson said low enough Stiles barely heard it.

“What? What happened to you being a jackass?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Stiles come on Jackson caused enough trouble,” Erica called from the porch of the old house.

Stiles had no idea what they meant. The more he thought about it everyone was basically ignoring Jackson, “Derek went all Alpha on you, didn’t he?” Stiles asked suddenly piecing it together.

Jackson didn’t say anything but he seemed to flinch just a little keeping his head down.  

“What did he go all Alpha on you for?” Stiles asked. They were barely a pack beyond shared torture and who they were bitten by as it was and now Derek didn’t have the excuse of being Feral.

“You got hurt,” Jackson quietly answered. Stiles actually missed him being an asshole because at least he could be an asshole back without feeling bad about it.

“So? I get hurt all the time, it’s the apocalypse, it’s war,” Stiles was more confused now because this was about him for some reason.

“I didn’t listen to you and you got hurt.”

“That’s ridiculous. I mean yeah you didn’t listen but why exactly should you, you’re an ass and we barely know each other. Besides we would have had to go through the field anyway it was the fastest route that means we would have been seen anyway,” Stiles reasoned out loud.

“You don’t get it. You got hurt and Derek saw it as my fault,” Jackson snapped.

“Well I’m telling you it wasn’t,” Stiles insisted. They were standing at the steps to the house now.

“You got hurt because I wasn’t good enough. I was adopted okay,” Jackson sneered, “I was never good enough from the day I was born and I’m still not.” Stiles put it together now.

“That’s why you wanted to be a Werewolf,” Stiles understood. He put his hand on Jackson’s shoulder. “That wasn’t your fault just like me getting hurt wasn’t either. You are good enough.”

“Jackson,” Derek’s voice came from the door.

“Oh no, you don’t get to yell at him anymore!” Stiles interrupted whatever Derek was going to do. No way, Stiles refused to let Derek treat people, let alone his own Betas, like crap.

“But-”

“Nope, I can yell at people all on my own you don’t need to tell your Beta off for me,” Stiles wasn’t even sure why exactly it mattered. He wasn’t anything official in the pack anyway. Jackson’s pack though and deserves to feel like it.

“Stiles-” Derek tried again.

“Nope, apologize to Jackson and think before you yell at people for other people,” Stiles barked as he barged past Derek to get into the house. He walked past the other Betas who were standing in the entry listening in. Stiles went up to the bathroom closing the door behind him just for him to slide down it.

Stiles stayed sitting against the door for a while. Eventually, he got up and turned on the sink to check the water. He had been told the water was safe but he wanted to see for himself before he went about cleaning the cut on his arm. His magic was taking its good old time growing back so the healing was basically at human speed.

Nothing felt better than a shower even if it was cold because everything was pumped from a well. Stiles refused to question how it all worked because magic’s magic. Stiles took his time, not wanting to face the others, but also because this was the first time he was by himself even though the house was full of Werewolves.

Stiles lost track of time but eventually, his stomach started to make noises at him so he grabbed the bandages he had been attempting to wrap around his arm on his own before leaving the bathroom.

As soon as he stepped out he immediately ran into Isaac. Before Stiles could ask what Isaac was doing right outside the door he grabbed the bandages from Stiles and started to wrap Stiles’ arm.

“Thanks,” Stiles sighed once Isaac finished. They had been silent the entire time, in fact, the whole house was silent.

“Why is it so quiet?” Stiles whispered conscious of the quiet.

“Boyd and Erica are sleeping, Jackson is pretending to sleep but actually listening out for you, and Derek is sulking,” Isaac answered as he started to tow Stiles down the hall towards the kitchen.

“And you?” Stiles asked not wanting to talk about anyone else.

“I think I learned how to focus on hearing things better, I could hear you start to curse at the bandages a while ago after your heart rate went down,” Isaac answered without looking at Stiles. Stiles watched as Isaac pulled out their rations and took them into the living room. Stiles followed.

After eating Isaac spoke up again, “How can you tell Derek off like that?”

“He doesn’t scare me. And I’m not his Beta, I’m not even pack.” Stiles barely knew anything about the people he was traveling with.

“You are pack,” Isaac whispered before saying it again louder. Isaac surprised Stiles with how honest he looked.

“What do you mean?”

“You protected us, got us out, Derek trusts you for some reason or another. You feel safe,” Isaac elaborated. Stiles knew what that meant for Werewolves but he didn’t know how he became that to them in such a short time. Stiles didn’t have a damn clue what to say to that. He just did what he would do for anyone except he really wasn’t. He wouldn’t just risk his life like this, risk his family, his entire territory for just anyone.

“Stiles your heart is beating fast again,” Isaac whined and shifted closer to him.

“Sorry,” Stiles gasped out after Isaac broke his train of thought. Stiles put his head in his hands and calmed his breathing. After a while, he lifted his head and saw Derek standing in the doorway looking concerned.

“I’m fine,” Stiles sighed. He was used to having panic attacks anytime he thought about things too much. He stayed active, always doing something for a reason.

Derek only nodded before he turned and walked away.

“See he cares,” Isaac pointed out.

“I don’t know why ” Stiles scoffed but it fell flat. Stiles really wanted to stop talking about this. “I’m going to go crash.” With that Stiles got up and walked to one of the bedrooms he noticed when Isaac was dragging him to the kitchen.

\--

Stiles woke up to someone banging on the door to the room he was in.

“Get up! There are people coming,” Derek’s gruff order came. Stiles stumbled out of the room wincing when he caught himself with his bad arm. Stiles waved off Derek when he started to more toward him.

“How many and where?” Stiles asked in lieu of anything else.

“Six heartbeats and not far,” came Boyd’s voice. Once again time was lost on Stiles. He didn’t know how long he slept or anything that happened.

“You have a plan right?” Erica voiced anxiously.

“Yeah, get the hell out of here,” Stiles replied as he walked down the hall to where he left his backpack. He grabbed it and headed for the back door of the house.

“We have everything?” Stiles asked no one in particular but he got nods from everyone. Stiles didn’t say anything else he only started walking towards the junkyard he was told about. He knew what direction it was from the house but not how far. He was hoping they would have more time to grab a vehicle but now they had to rush.

The junkyard was a lot closer to the house than he thought but it was also bigger. “Start looking for a vehicle that doesn’t suck,” Stiles ordered before adding, “groups of two don’t get lost call if you find one!” Derek stuck beside Stiles.

They were looking around when they heard Erica call out. Everyone made their way over to them. Erica and Boyd found a bread van that had the all the windows but the windshield gone or so it seemed. Other than that it looked pretty good.

“How are we supposed to get this thing running and what about gas,” Jackson asked. Stiles was surprised to even hear him speak. Maybe he and Derek talked while Stiles slept. Stiles really wished he knew how long he slept. He figured he slept a while because his magic felt good, he felt better in general.

Stiles didn’t answer he only moved to open the door, dropping his backpack on the ground. The van was locked so he reached in through the open window and opened the door. Stiles learned as a kid how to hotwire cars. He spent a lot of time at the sheriff’s station and met some pretty weird people, useful, though.

Stiles got the van running in no time and checked the gas gauge, “not much gas but some” Stiles announced before he grabbed his backpack off the ground and sat properly in the front seat pulling the door shut. Apparently, everyone got the message and got in. Stiles pulled the map out. He had drawn the fastest route to Cali before he left and put it in the backpack just in case. He had a few different maps in case things went wrong. Good thing he did too. He got lucky that the fastest route took them past some safer places like where they came from. They were headed towards Chicago. He wasn’t a fan of taking major roads but they were faster.

“Where are we going to get gas,” Jackson asked. He was surprised Erica didn’t ask but the answer was pretty obvious.

“The gas station,” Stiles replied with a shit eating grin. Jackson only glared back at him.

“How exactly do we do that?” And back to Erica.

“Well you see you pull up to the pump and you get out and--”

“You are such an ass--” Erica kicked his seat from behind, “I meant won’t we get caught.”

“Nah, they don’t know what we are driving. I told you they kept a lot of normal life including cars.” Beacon Hills couldn’t get gas easily because they couldn’t trade or buy the Argent State was technically the official State so they could buy from people still. Stiles knew he would be the one getting the gas every time they needed to stop but that was fine.

“How are you going to pay?”

“With money.”

Stiles heard a snort some someone but no one else bothered asking any more questions after that.

\--

Luckily, they found a gas station before they ran out of what little gas they had. This van was more cramped than the one they drowned but it was more fuel efficient at least. The windows hadn’t actually been broken they were all just down then it was dumped which Stiles was thankful for.

Stiles started to get out, “you are not getting out.”

“Yes, I am. I have been the one driving and you guys have all been in the back. I am going.” Stiles got out before anyone else could argue. Once they got onto the main roads and other cars were around Stiles made Erica move to the back of the van from the passenger seat to sit with the others. Stiles wasn’t sure about the cameras but Danny said there were a lot. Life seemed relatively the same as before except everywhere had weapons, fences, and keep out signs. Everything looked harsher and less open.

Stiles looked into his back and pulled out the red hoodie in there to cover his blood-stained clothing.

Stiles got out and went into the store he grabbed two things of soda and some chips before going to the checkout and paying for the gas. He hid his arm as best he could and tried to remember how to act natural when paying for gas and doing mundane things.

It was so weird to do something so monotonous and normal from before the wards went up and the world went to shit. Stiles could see how people were living the same as they had before in the Argent State. I mean sure it was basically Big Brother and the Red Scare all in one but with a militaristic state and Hitler controlling it all but still soda and chips at a gas station.

Stiles put down the stuff he picked up and added a few chocolate bars. He looked up and the guy wasn’t even paying attention to him. He told Stiles the amount without even really looking at him, the kid looked bored out of his mind. Stiles realized he and the kid were probably the same age. Stiles saw a kid when he looks at the guy but when Stiles looked at himself in the mirror he only saw someone who grew up in fact from the time his mom died until he got involved in a war.

Stiles handed the kid his money and pocketed the rest. He walked to the van still thinking of how surreal this was. He threw the stuff into the passenger seat and went to pump the gas.

\--

“You bought soda, chips, and candy,” Derek deadpanned at him. They had been on the road for about half an hour before Stiles let anyone move from their spot in the back making sure they weren’t being followed.

When Derek spoke, Erica squeezed her way to the front seat again and grabbed a chocolate bar immediately breaking the packaging and taking a bite.

“Yeah, I did,” Stiles said laughing as Erica moaned from the chocolate. Stiles saw Derek roll his eyes in the rearview mirror.

“Give me a bite would you,” Stiles badgered Erica who looked like she was ready to hoard all the chocolate. They had broken into one of the bags of chips and a bottle of soda.

Erica huffed at him but held out the bar for him to bite into. He gave her a chocolaty grin.  

“Does the radio work?” Erica asked suddenly. Stiles wasn’t sure how to answer. He knew they played music old stuff but the crap stuff nothing with hidden meanings and nothing from known Supernaturals. The airways were filled with propaganda.

“You will hear a lot of propaganda but they play some music as long as it wasn’t made by a known Supernatural,” Stiles decided to go with honesty. He looked over at Erica who shrugged before hesitantly reaching over and turning on the radio. Stiles looked at the others in the rearview mirror, everyone was watching Erica except Derek who was looking back at Stiles.

Stiles was surprised when the first thing he heard was music. He looked over and Erica had a huge grin on her face. He realized this was the most normal thing any of them had done in years.

\--

They kept driving not stopping unless they had to for gas, to switch drivers, and bathroom breaks. Stiles barely kept track of where they were because they never stayed anywhere for too long. Stiles and Boyd took turns driving. No one asked Derek why he didn’t offer. They took some breaks and Stiles got out to get gas every time they needed it. They kept driving.

For the most part, the radio hadn’t been too bad. It cut out when they got too far from a larger city. Sometimes they turned it off because the ads were too much and other times they turned it off just to talk and keep a low profile. Music kept coming through the stations. After every few songs came ads for Wolfsbane weapons and protection spells to be cast around properties. Stiles hadn’t realized how many magic users were working with the Argent’s. Maybe it wasn’t so much as with but for. Maybe they didn’t have a choice.

The problem came around commute time. They stopped playing music altogether from three o’clock on. All that they heard on every channel was propaganda and new reports about Supernaturals either killing people or being caught. Erica started to frantically change the channels, even though there were not that many trying to find one without the shit spilling.

“ _The perpetrators of the Camp breakout are still on the loose.”_ Came the voice from the radio. Erica immediately turned to look at him. Stiles kept his eyes on the road. He could feel everyone looking at him. Silence reigned inside the van except for the motor, the radio, and their breathing.

Gerard’s voice came on, _“Skilled Hunter’s tracked all of the groups that left the scene of the crime.”_ Stiles’ hands clenched hard enough on the wheel his knuckles turned white and he felt his stitches pulling. He waited to hear if they caught anyone. _“Unfortunately, many made it to the flee pens before we could get them.”_ That wasn’t good enough. Stiles wanted to know how they were.

“ _We intercepted one group before they could get to the Western most traitors protected pen. They narrowly escaped the Hunter’s. They are the only group from the breakout currently at large_.” Stiles released the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Everyone was safe. His family made it home safe.

 _“We are working around the clock to locate and apprehend these murders.”_ Gerard basically spit on the word murders and Stiles couldn’t help but smile. They hurt Gerard. _“We know they will be headed to California. Our army has already been deployed and surroundeds the territory. The wards there are the strongest we have encountered and have been resistant to all attacks.”_ Stiles smirked. He wasn’t happy his home his family was under attack but there was no way in hell anything was getting through his wards.

_“We will apprehend those who murdered my daughter and we will destroy the California wards, it is not a matter of if but when.”_

Stiles listened and couldn’t keep any comments to himself anymore, “Good fucking luck you bastard.” Stiles sneered at the road ahead of him. Stiles vaguely wondered how Gerard’s nose healed up, he forgot to look at his hanging.

“ _Citizens of the Argent State are safe. All those so called ‘Protected Territories’ are nothing more than animal pens ready for execution. The Argent State is safe.”_ Stiles snorted.

The broadcast ended and went back to the ads from before about spells and Wolfsbane against creatures of the night.

Erica turned off the radio and looked at him with a look he couldn’t read. He looked in the rearview mirror and saw similar expressions on everyone else’s face. The all looked slightly horrified but also surprised, like they were in awe of something. Stiles sighed at the fact he couldn’t tell what they were thinking.

“What?” Stiles finally gave into the frustration of them staring at him.  

“What the hell do you mean what!” Erica screeched at him as if he was supposed to understand what she expected of him.

“I mean why is everyone staring at me?” Stiles ground out. What was he supposed to say? He felt happy his family returned home safely. He felt happy that his wards thwarted Gerard, again. He felt happy that Gerard wasn’t.

“How are you so calm?”

“How strong are you?”

“How are you keeping the wards up?”

“They have an army! And we are going towards it!”

“Woah okay slow it done one question at a time sheesh,” Stiles relented. He was going to have to tell them everything. This was going to be exhausting.

“Is your arm okay, I can smell fresh blood,” Derek asked before the others could jump in again. Derek hadn’t asked any questions until now, he just stared at Stiles. Stiles realized how hard he pulled at his stitches as they waited to hear news on his pack.

“It’s fine,” Stiles answered not really focusing on his arm. They needed to keep going. He needed to get home. So, therefore, he felt fine, nothing he couldn’t handle.

“You lie without really lying! How?” Derek growled out. He looked frustrated and sad like he didn’t understand that Stiles did trust him but at the moment his arm wasn’t the important thing.

“What?” Stiles asked confusedly.

“I know you are lying but your heart doesn’t stutter,” Derek actually elaborated using words.

“I need to be fine, so I am. I’m fine,” Stiles stated as if obvious. Stiles learned how to get around the whole Werewolf hearing heartbeat stutter thing early on without even having to use magic.

Derek whined before he reached forward to put his hand on the side of Stiles' neck to take his pain. Stiles noticed the fresh stinging in his arm slowly vanish.  

“Thanks,” Stiles muttered grateful for the help, “alright next question.”

“How are you so calm?” Isaac piped up. Erica still sat in the passenger seat. Derek sat directly behind the driver’s seat but meeting Stiles eyes in the mirror every now and then. Boyd sat behind Erica and Jackson and Isaac crammed themselves in the back. 

“Well I just found out my family is safe, so that’s pretty calming,” Stiles shrugged and felt Derek’s hand shift on his neck in reassurance.

“There is a literal army knocking on your wards, how exactly is that okay?” Jackson asked sounding more exasperated than snarky.

“My wards will hold. Nothing is getting through them no matter what that jackhole says, my wards will not fall, not now not ever, which means my family remains safe.”

“How are you so sure?” Boyd asked.

“Well, I guess that goes into whoever yelled out about how I’m holding the wards up. The answer is I’m not. I don’t sustain the wards. I found another power source for that. I merely created the protection and directed it where it needed to go.” Stiles knew no matter how strong she was the ward as strong as the one he developed would have caused his death and that wouldn’t even guarantee it would have held so he found something else to hold it.

“So how can you be so sure it will hold against an army?”

“Because it isn’t the first time they tried to take down my wards. Besides I designed them, they will never fail,” Stiles scuffed. He wasn’t that cocky but he knew his magic, he trusted his magic and his knowledge.

“Are you connected to them at all?” Derek asked this time.

“I can feel them. I bonded myself to the land, was inevitable really, but I would have liked to have gone to college before I did it but beggars can’t be choosers, right? Anyway, I can feel the land and the wards and they’re perfectly fine.”

“All this time you didn’t know if the others made it back?” Isaac murmured.

“No, I didn’t know for sure. If one of them—if anything—I would have felt it through the pack bonds. I knew they were generally safe but I didn’t know if they were home or not until now at least,” Stiles smiled. He felt happy, really happy to know they were home beyond the general sense of okay.

“You can feel pack bonds?” Derek asked sounding surprised.

“We don’t have an Alpha as you know but a creature of similar power can be kind of an acting Alpha? So, that’s me, High Mage lets me give Scott a pack and the rest of them.” Years ago, Stiles had no idea how he was going to keep Scott and himself a secret. He killed the Alpha that bit Scott but he had no idea how the Hale’s would react. He started doing research and found out that an equivalent of power could be an Alpha, Scott just had to follow him. So, easy peasy. It wouldn’t even read with other Weres because he wasn’t a Were.

“It’s draining you being in so many technical positions of pack dynamics, it would kill you eventually wouldn’t it? That’s why they risked their lives.” Derek reasoned. Stiles held a lot of positions in the pack, more than he wanted and more than he could sustain long term.

“Not entirely right, one it probably wouldn’t kill me and two no one has any idea about the toll it takes,” Stiles shrugged. He was the protector, he was a sort of Alpha, he used magic like nothing else. It was a lot and he didn’t know how long he could keep it up. Having an actual Alpha, let along the rightful Beacon Hills Alpha will help a shit ton. Of course, that’s if Derek agrees.

“You didn’t tell them,” Jackson asked surprised. Just another show of how little they know each other, but they were working on it.

“Why on earth would I tell them? Though I wouldn’t be surprised if Lydia knew something was hinky and she probably didn’t even need her Banshee powers to figure that out. We have more than enough to worry about. This is simply a win-win situation. We raid the Camp and get hundreds of Supernatruals out and we potentially get the rightful Hale Alpha.” Stiles knew it sounded harsh but before he didn’t have faces and names for the people in the Camp, he didn’t know Derek. He technically still doesn’t but he was getting there.

“So, you guys risked your lives traveling across the country to save everyone and didn’t expect anything?” Boyd asked.

“I mean we hoped Derek would agree to come back to Beacon Hills and stay there as the Alpha but that would be a bonus. I told you before the Camp was on the top of our raid list we needed more information like the plans, and a guy or rather Banshee on the inside. It took time.”  

“You didn’t think I would agree?” Derek murmured.

“I never actually asked. I rather told, didn’t I? I’m telling you now there is no obligation for you to take up the power and all that no matter what you know now. It is entirely your choice. We can figure something else out. The important thing is you guys are free.” Stiles never really dared to hope that Derek would choose to stay and be the Alpha of Beacon Hills. Sure, it would solve a hell of a lot of problems but he wasn’t one for forcing.

“Thank you,” Derek squeezed Stiles neck from where he was still taking the pain.

\--

“Gas costs more here,” Isaac observed aloud. Stiles has no idea how long they have been traveling. He traded with Boyd at some point for the night. Boyd pulled over when they got close to a gas station and they all slept for a few hours taking a break from the road. Stiles barely kept track of where they were let along how much time passed. Stiles lost count of how many times he stopped for gas too. Everything blurred together.

“We are closer to a Protected Territory here so everything is more expensive. The good thing is fewer people but the militants live near the Protected Territories which lets us expand the wards little by little to get more land. The Argent State is working against themselves with that one,” Stiles snorted.

“Wait so had Beacon Hills expanded?” Derek asked. Stiles still hadn’t explained how exactly the wards worked.

“Yeah, my wards cover all of Cali, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada. It cuts through Arizona, Utah, and Idaho. So the army is stationed there. We need to get to Utah.” Stiles explained. The borders, with the way he set them up, expand daily.

“What!” Derek yelled.

“What?” Stiles asked surprised at the outburst.

“How did you expand it that much? What about the people who hate Supernaturals where did they go?”

“Oh well if they hated Supernaturals they were kicked the hell out. The wards expand on their own based on the land. I kind of—the wards I used and added and created were all based off really old magic.” Stiles lucked out with his mom’s books and Allison and Chris’s help.

“You are going to have to explain this,” Derek ground out but added, “let’s get on the road.” Stiles pulled the vehicle out of its hiding spot. They went for gas first and Stiles planned to buy a canister of gas for when they actually made it into the territory to get them closer to Beacon Hills. This might be one of the last places that would sell a canister. The other places were sold out so hopefully, this one had a canister as a backup for when they got closer to the actual army. Things in less populated areas were even more desolate. Stiles imaged it like outposts in the Old West really. The gas stations were few and far between, spaced out based on travel.

Stiles figured they were pretty close to his wards. He wasn’t even looking at the map anymore he was going by his magic. He could feel they were closer to his wards. He lost any and all sense of time since he left his territory and he still hadn’t gained it back. He never knew how long he slept for. Their location was sketchy at best because they were using an old map and the Argent state changed things around. Stiles could feel they were getting close, though.

Stiles pulled into the gas station and got out. The others hid in the back of the van per usual when they stopped. He noticed other vehicles around, ones that often Hunter’s use. Stiles ducked his head and kept going. He entered the store, picked up the favorite candies of his pack because he was going to see them soon and the closer gas station had less and less stock. Then he went over and picked up one of the red gas canisters. He figured having Hunter’s around meant the station kept canisters in stock. They needed canisters more out here as a backup.

He walked over to the cashier. A few Hunters wondered about the store as if on break or something. Stiles kept his head down as the girl behind the register rang everything up. He hated how much stuff cost out here compared to the more populated areas away from the Protected Territories. He paid for everything and gathered the bag of candy and can.

“Hey, have I seen you before?” The girl asked and Stiles almost squeaked. Shit. Stiles only knew what the Argent state put on the airways, not on TV. Did they have a picture of him from the Camp?

“Don’t think so, no,” Stiles said trying to put on his best smile. Stiles watched her study him before she shrugged and he walked out. Stiles immediately threw the candy into the passenger seat and started to fill up the van. He heard the door of the store open and footsteps walking towards him. Stiles was finishing up filling the extra gas can.

“Hey, kid! What’s the rush?” a deep voice called from behind him.

“I’m late to see my dad, see he wanted me to mow the lawn and I forgot the can to fill up the gas so I had to buy a new one. Hopefully, the candy smooths it over with him,” Stiles babbled as he put the can on the floor of the passenger side and closed the door.

He turned to the men, “Sorry I really should get going.”

“Why do you look familiar kid,” came a different voice. Stiles could hear more of the guys walking towards him. So not good. Stiles needed to get out of there, to get them all out.

“I really don’t know,” Stiles said as he moved to the driver's side and opened the door. He continued to act as normal as he could.

“You! You were in the Camp!” came a familiar voice of one of the guards that threw him into the cell the first day. Fuck. He hoped he would never see any of them again. His hands started to shake.

Stiles looked up and saw about ten guys pulling out their guns. They needed to get out now. Stiles focused on the gas in the Hunter’s vehicles. He focused on it and pictured a dramatic car explosion from a movie. He focused on what a match did when dropped in gasoline. Stiles hopped into the van and pulled the door shut just as bullets rang against the metal. Stiles sped out of the parking lot and just as he got far enough away and the Hunter’s started towards their vehicles he blew them up. He focused on the fire and his magic. The explosion was deafening to his ears so he can imagine what it sounded like to the Weres.

“Well that was dramatic,” Stiles muttered as he ran his hand over his face trying to stay focused on driving. He felt the adrenaline start to leave the further away they got. He made sure no one could follow at least.

“Are you okay,” Derek asked from behind Stiles’ seat.

“Think so, I’ll never get used to killing people,” Stiles muttered. He hated killing people. Out of all of this the fact that he had to kill to survive bothered him most. Everyone he knew was a murderer out of necessity. He never kept track of how many lives he took some of them like with the Hunter’s at the gas station, there would be no way to even count.

“You did what you had to,” Jackson stated. Stiles was so surprised it was Jackson offering him some comfort.

Stiles didn’t say anything only kept driving.

“Can you explain the wards now? And maybe how you plan to get past an army?” Erica asked poking him in the side bringing him away from his thoughts.

“Sure,” Stiles smiled at her. Explaining the wards was going to be exhausting. There was so much technical magic involved so he was going to explain it like he’s learned to. Lydia is the only person close to Stiles who understands and can hold a theoretical conversation about magic with him. Stiles ended up with two explanations for all the magic he did. One he fully explained and explored with Lydia and the other he broke down far enough for his dad, Scott, and the others.

“Okay so, first of all, I said I’m not the one holding up the wards. I’m not. On the Hale land, in Beacon Hills, there is a center of really old and powerful magic. The Nemeton,” Stiles paused and looked at Derek in the rearview mirror. Derek wasn’t looking at him he was looking at the floor, but Stiles could see how pale he had gone.

“Right well, the Nemeton is this giant tree stump. Old fucking magic. It was cut down years and years ago and some bad shit happened there too before the fire. Anyway, Nemeton’s are not inherently evil or good they can be made one way or the other by events that take place there but they are just a magical thing. Except the tree is loyal to the Hale’s not sure why Peter was exceedingly vague when I asked him about the Hale history with the damn thing.”

“You asked Peter?”

“Yes, he asked what sustained the wards and I explained it,” Stiles felt like he was trying to justify things to Derek but he had no reason to. Peter asked a lot of question about what they had done in Beacon Hills and how. Stiles found Peter to be another one who understood what he was talking about, magic and creature wise. The dude knew some shit.

“No wonder he likes you,” Derek shook his head at the floor, still refusing to look at Stiles.

“What does that mean?”

“Never mind, continue with the wards,” Derek urged.

“Right well I found the tree, it kind of called to me after my mom died. Anyway, I started researching it and that brought me to Ley Lines. I already knew wards from my mom but even some of the stuff I needed she hadn’t taught me. That’s where Allison and Chris came in handy. When they left the Argent’s they took as many records and books as they could. They gave them to me,” Stiles remembered how flabbergasted he was. They made him speechless. He didn’t trust them but all the books turned out to be what they seemed to be. Damn useful.

“They gave me the information, books on old magic that I needed to do what I wanted and do it right.”

“Okay that’s all good and stuff giant tree got it but how exactly--”

“Patience Catwoman,” Stiles smiled at her when she glared, “I had an idea. The Nemeton was the center for the Ley Lines. All the lines connected to it, so what if I could put the protection into the Nemeton and direct it out. Then there would be a constant flow of magic to the wards and it would all be cyclical.”

“You put wards into the Nemeton,” Derek asked disbelievingly. This time Derek met Stiles eyes in the rearview mirror.

“I carved the rune I designed based off of every protection ward I could find. I designed it and carved it into the tree. From there the ward was carried by the Ley Lines.”

“How do they know where to end?”

“See that’s what Lydia kept asking me, but old magic is well,” Stiles paused trying to think of the right word, “respectful of the land to put it one way. It’s up to the land’s allegiance on where the wards end.”

“But you said you planned for areas to make sure were protected?” Boyd reminded.

“I did that’s where some of my own power came in I persuaded that land with my magic to our side.”

“Can it be persuaded to not be yours?” Erica asked.

“I mean not realistically. Between the push of my magic and the destruction by the Argent State, more and more land chooses to hold my wards. It’s an old idea, old magic, that the land is the ultimate and we are blessed to live on it. Literally, the land used to kill people it didn’t like. You know the whole force of nature stuff. Werewolf packs made deals with the land, including the Hale’s, if they protect the land then they are free to live on it. The Hale’s bled for the land so therefore they have a claim and the Land respects that claim.”

“That’s why you bound yourself to the land as it’s protector in the Hale name,” Derek gasped.

“Got it in one. I would have done it either way but I swore my allegiance to the land so it likes me,” Erica snorted at him, “it does. So the land knows I will protect it and it helps me. It’s all in the circle of life.”

“Do you always have to make references?” Jackson sneered.

“You’re the one who jumped to the Lion King there Jacky,” Stiles laughed at Jackson’s face when he realized his joke backfired.

“Okay so let me get this straight,” Derek started brows pulled together in concentration, “You pledged allegiance as the protector of the Hale land by magic, in return the Nemeton, one of the most powerful magical things, let you carve protection runes of your own design into it. Then the Nemeton pushed the ward you made out through the Ley Lines, with your help you secured the land you wanted and any land after that was that lands choice. So the wards are self-sustaining because of the how magic flows through nature.”

“Yeah pretty much,” Stiles nodded at Derek in the mirror. Derek’s face was slack in, Stiles wasn’t sure what exactly maybe shock.

“How does the land decide? What makes it decide?”

“Well, basically what the land feels is best, so the land that took on my wards chose to do so because bad things were happening to it before. So as long as bad things don’t happen inside the wards say a war then the wards will hold. It’s also a plus that most under the wards are Supernaturals and the Nemeton is Supernatural. Supernatural things tend to protect their own.”

“But the people in that land that hate Supernaturals?”

“They are forcibly removed. Meaning they get a feeling the place they are isn’t right for them if they don’t listen they start getting sick, and if they still don’t leave the land does something about it. I don’t question it. It’s the same theory about why some can’t get through the wards. The land stops them, has something to do with souls and all that. Like I said old magic.”

“Stiles,” Derek breathed from right behind him putting his hand on Stiles' neck, “you’re amazing.”

Stiles felt his jaw slacken, “Thanks” Stiles stuttered out blushing. Stiles heard it before from various people but Derek sounded amazed and for some reason, it meant a lot coming from the Hale Alpha.

“That doesn’t explain how we’re getting past the Argent Army,” Erica reminded him. Everyone was looking at him in well, awe, as he drove. Stiles kept focused on the road in front of him. The closer they got to the border for the wards the more desolate things got. The houses this way looked how accepted apocalyptic things looked in movies. The broken homes: doors off the hinges, rotting wood, scorch marks, peeling paint, messages to turn back. The roads were not taken care of as they were in the bigger towns and cities. No wonder the land decided to take up his wards and the territory kept expanding.  

“We are headed to a safe house. This one does have my wards protecting it not the Nemeton. We use it to get in and out of the Argent State. There are a few safe houses not far from main ward line. So we get to the house and then we need to wait for the signal, probably won’t come until tomorrow that the tunnels are clear so we can get into my Protected Territory.”

“Tunnels?” Erica asked scrunching her nose in distaste.

“Yeah, it’s how we get people in from farther away than them walking right up to the wards on the surface basically announcing they are Supernatural or a sympathizer, gets people in safer.”  A lot of people died just walking up to the wards. Hunter’s stationed themselves in trenches often times and took out anyone who got close to the wards.

“Why do we need to wait for the signal,” Isaac asked.

“The others are going to distract the Army, probably already are seeing as how easy we are getting through right now. They are forcing the army to focus on a different location so we can get through. We need to wait because once in the tunnels there isn’t anywhere to go. So when we get the all clear then we will go in the tunnels.”

“But why a signal,” Jackson asked annoyed.

“Because when we first started using them we would just run down the tunnels. Except the tunnel was found out and there were a lot of Hunter’s waiting for us. Allison almost died. Hell, we all almost died trying to fight them off. We barely made it in so know we have a signaling system kind of like gatekeepers, tunnel guards.” Stiles hated thinking about that. It was a tunnel they used most often, taught them not to use the same one as much. They ran right into a battalion. Luckily everyone survived.

“Will your pack be waiting for you?” Derek asked after a moment of silence.

“Yeah,” Stiles answered with a grin, “I bet Peter, Cora, and Malia will be there too.” Stiles knew his pack would be there. They probably didn’t even bother to make the trip back to Beacon Hills until he was inside the wards especially with an army on the other side.

“How were they?” Derek asked quietly. The Betas must have recognized the ‘don’t listen to signals’ because they all started to talk amongst themselves. They started to pick up on things better now. Not always, but Derek not being Feral meant he started to teach them how to actually be Werewolves and use their enhanced skills. They asked Derek and Stiles question about things and practiced during the road trip.  

“Peter wasn’t fully healed when they got there so Scott’s mom, Melissa, and I fixed him up. Cora has a serious attitude I mean sheesh maybe even more than you,” Stiles grinned in the rearview mirror, “Malia has the social skills of well a wild animal. I’m not sure why but I get the feeling that she was separated from Peter and Cora for a while and had to fend for herself.” Stiles didn’t talk to them that much, not really. They were focused on the plan to break out of the Camp not getting to know each other.

“How much did you talk to them,” Stiles heard the question how much did they tell you.

“Not a lot. Peter knows how to talk in fucking riddles. I’m pretty sure Cora hates me. Lydia and I worked with Malia a lot to bring out some of the more human things instead of the coyote.” They really didn’t talk about the Hale’s or the fire.

Derek nodded but left it at that.

“We are getting close to the tunnel,” Stiles pointed out after a while. With all the talking and absolutely no one around Stiles lost track of time. Hell, he didn’t even try to keep time. The wards seemed closer than he originally thought though so the army must be doing more damage to themselves then anything if the wards are expanding.

“Where the hell are we?” Jackson asked. Everyone looked out the windows for the past few hours because everything was desolate. The houses smoldered, it looked like a war zone. The closer they actually got to the war zone the harsher the conditions got. Instead of dilapidated houses, there were piles of rubble.   

“Somewhere in the middle of Utah. Not exactly sure. I can feel my wards. You should be able to see them soon,” Stiles muttered. He focused on the road in front of him and the tree line keeping his wards out of view. They should rise above that soon and see his wards and the army.

Stiles knew the second the others saw his wards. Everyone gasped except Derek who put his hand once again where Stiles' neck and shoulder met. Stiles pointed to a small clearing where some houses were smoldering, “That’s where the tunnel is.”

“You sure the tunnel is still there?” Erica asked wide-eyed as she looked toward where he pointed.

“My wards keep it safe but I guess we don’t have a house to wait in,” Stiles grumbled.

“So where are we going to go,” Boyd asked.

“To the tunnel, there is a failsafe we can wait in,” Stiles answered. They added a root cellar type place just above the door to the tunnel for protection and a lot of other things to keep themselves safe.

Stiles looked down at the gas gauge. They had used the gas from the canister already but the van was about to run out. Like Stiles thought the stations became less and less frequent until there were none at all. Stiles started looking around for a place to hid the van.

“We will have to walk the rest of the way,” Stiles said when he spotted a barn that was still standing enough to hid the van inside. The barn looked as though it was going to fall but they needed to get the van in there first. Stiles figured the army burned the houses down out of spite so no one could use them not to mention the years of disuse.

“Alright everyone out,” Stiles pulled up in front of the barn and waited for everyone to grab their backpacks and get out. Stiles asked Erica to put the candy bars he bought for the pack in his backpack. Derek grabbed Stiles backpack for him without even needing to ask. He drove into the barn and hurried out of the van. The inside of the barn looked worse than the outside. Stiles exited the barn and looked up to see the others looking over towards his wards.

“It’s beautiful,” Erica murmured. From the outside, the wards were really pretty. They looked safe and powerful. They were a glowly white dome shield thing arching over the land. Stiles didn’t know how to explain it except for a dome of light, power.  

“Let’s get under cover before anyone sees us,” Derek urged them on after handing Stiles backpack to him. Stiles nodded in return.

They started walking through the rubble of destroyed houses and downed trees. No one spoke on their trip. Stiles kept checking on his magic feeling for any danger like a built-in warning system. Stiles looked over to Derek and saw his constant vigilance back, eyes darting around at every sound.

Stiles and Derek walked together but just like when they traveled on foot before Isaac was close to Stiles only now Isaac stayed close enough that they bumped arms every now and then. Stiles loved having Isaac close, having them all close. Boyd and Erica walked behind them and Jackson brought up the back keeping an eye and ear out for things. Stiles felt connected to all of them even though he only met them a little while ago.   

“This was where the house stood,” Stiles whispered. It felt wrong to speak loudly after they walked in silence for a while. Stiles had no idea how far they actually walked. The barn’s location was on a hill and they looked down on the area. At least they arrived at the location safely. Being close to his wards, to home seemed surreal. He only focused on the feeling of it, not the distance, just how with every step he got closer.

“Over here,” Stiles waved them over to the entrance. The house fell and smoldered in various places around the once nice yard. One of the two entrances to the root cellar, the one in the basement, was impossible to get to thanks to the Hunter’s destruction. Hidden better, the second entrance location on the edge of the yard hidden by a few trees remained passable. Stiles led them to the secondary entrance, drawing a rune on the rotting wooden door releasing the wards. Stiles didn’t want just anyone getting in. He made it so only Supernaturals could see the rune, kind of like a beacon. If there wasn’t a magic user along to release it then taking a knife and slashing through it worked well enough. Stiles learned a lot from his experiences and wanted to better everything he could.

“The rune will let my pack know we are here so they can work on clearing the tunnel,” Stiles answered the looks of curiosity. The rune let them in but had a twin inside the wards that would light up when broken. Thus, they had gatekeepers letting them know that newcomers were on their way. Everyone followed Stiles after he jumped down into a small corridor. The corridor was walled off except for a tunnel. Once everyone entered the small room Stiles reached up grabbing the wood door and pulling it shut over them plunging them into darkness. Stiles drew yet another rune on the underside of the wooden door. This one would notify him if anyone tried to get in because it resealed the rune he broke.

Stiles led them down a dark tunnel to a room that looked more like a maze. The tunnel they came out of opened into a circular room with four other tunnel entrances spread around it. It looked very Indian Jones. “That’s the one we will go through eventually,” Stiles pointed to the one facing the direction they came from in the van not the direction of the territory.

“You sure,” Jackson skeptically asked. Jackson seemed to always question him in a different way than the others. Erica questioned out of curiosity, not skepticism. Isaac questioned out of care and Boyd out of protection for the others. Derek questioned things for the safety of his pack and the safety of Stiles.

“Yep, down those,” Stiles pointed to two other tunnels next to each other, “have rooms at the end of them. Two fit well in there.” Stiles watched as Boyd and Erica walked down one of the tunnels while Jackson and Isaac walked down the other. Stiles made sure they disappeared before he walked over to the remaining tunnel and walked into it. Derek left out a confused whine as he followed Stiles into the tunnel.

“It’s a disillusionment charm, from the outside they all look the same but it just opens into a room once you walk through. If we were Hunter’s we would be trapped but we are not Hunter’s,” Stiles grinned as Derek stared at him. The tunnel opened up to a room that wasn’t even down a tunnel, it was just like a doorway that looked like a tunnel.

“Right well it will be a while before we hear anything so you might want to get some sleep,” Stiles suggested as he sat down on the dirt floor his back against the wall straight across from the entrance to the room. He looked up as saw Derek still watching him.

“Why do you do that, stare, I mean?” Stiles asked. He wondered since he met the guy. Derek always looked at him and followed him around. Stiles knew Werewolves were tactile and mistrusting all in one but seriously.

“I--” Derek started but he huffed out in exasperation running a hand over his face. Derek walked over from where he was standing in the doorway closer to where Stiles was sitting. He sat down against the wall adjacent to Stiles. Stiles noted how much better Derek looked, healthier since the escaped the Camp.  

“You don’t have to answer you know I’m curious and have no control over my mouth most of the time,” Stiles reminded Derek as if he hadn’t been traveling with Stiles for days. The thing is Stiles really wanted to know what Derek’s deal was with him. Why the staring and the following? There had to be more than the whole anchor things. Or maybe Stiles was thinking too much.

“This is the first time we have been alone.” Derek almost mused from his spot in the damp room before looking up to meet Stiles' eyes. Derek looked shy at admitting it but also content to be where there.

Stiles nodded at him. It really was the first time they were along, the wood gathering expeditions didn’t count in Stiles book. In the vans’ they had the pack with them. Same with walking through the woods and even in the house they stayed in for a while. Sure, if Stiles wasn’t injured, magically, drained, and angry at Derek they might have talked but the others would have been around still.

“I – I own you an explanation.” Stiles started to shake his head disagreeing with Derek but Derek kept going. “I do. I want you to know.” Stiles felt like he forced Derek into a lot of this. He never asked Derek to turn himself toward home, Stiles made the decision for him. Sure, Beacon Hills happened to be probably the safest place for all of them but Derek and the others could have gone on their own. Stiles never offered and they never brought it up. They followed Stiles and his plan.

Stiles expected Derek to fall asleep not talk. Yet here they are in a damp room alone together.

“I- When I first saw you being dragged between those guards I knew you were magic. Even with the herbs, I could tell. I just knew. Then they put you in the cell across from me, I guess I have Lydia to thank for that,” Derek added and looked up to see Stiles nodding at him slowly, “then you knew my name. You spoke of my family, you didn’t take shit from my Betas or me.” Derek kept his eyes on the floor in front of him almost the whole time he spoke like he was shy to admit it, to talk about his feelings.

“I don’t know why of how but I knew you were telling the truth. Everything you did and said from that point on was honest and trustworthy. You got hurt on purpose,” Derek whined the last part out pausing begore continuing again, “I trusted you, my wolf trusted you with everything you said and did. When the doors opened and you came back for me, for my Betas, I knew I could trust you. My wolf trusts you. You smell like home,” Derek blushed when he said the last part.   

“That’s all just because I got you out of a shit situation,” Stiles tried to dismiss all of this. Stiles figured Derek and his wolf were attached to Stiles because Stiles got them out of that shit hole, nothing more.  

“No, it’s not,” Derek snapped his head up eyes looking straight into Stiles. Derek looked like he was trying to plead something. “I haven’t trusted anyone like the way I trust you, not since my mother, my family.”

That took Stiles for a loop because of what. “What? We barely know each other,” Stiles exclaimed. Sure, they talked a lot the past few days, worked with the Betas together, all of it but he knew very little about Derek. Stiles couldn’t deny that they had a strange connection, though, like him being able to understand Derek even when Feral.  

“I want to know you,” Derek promised looking at Stiles with something like hope in his eyes.

“What does that mean?” Stiles’ confusion must read on his face because Derek starts to explain.

“I mean I trust you and I want to get to know you when we aren’t in a prison or running for our lives or trying to survive.” Derek didn’t look away this time, he held Stiles gaze.

“We are always trying to survive that’s not option but wait you mean you are going to stay in Beacon Hills with--”

“With you, with my pack, with my family. I want that again. I want to live not just survive,” Derek paused looking at his hands, “I am the reason my family burned. I let Kate in. I killed my family. Hell, I even caused some of the darkness in the Nemeton!” Derek looked so hopeful before but it turned dark making Derek look more like the man chained up in the Camp.

“No no no,” Stiles hushed as he moved kneel in front of Derek, “Kate killed your family. Not you. She would have done it either way. She was a psychotic bitch who killed your family and used you. You did not kill your family and your family doesn’t blame you. I don’t blame you.” Stiles couldn’t believe Derek held on to this for years as he was being tortured by her. He probably felt he deserved it. No wonder he felt and looked so uncomfortable talking about his feelings. All his feelings revolved around what Kate did to his family, guilt and self-hatred.

Silence held for a few moments as Stiles settled to sit next to Derek, lining his body with Derek’s. Stiles felt the heat from Derek start to seep into his clothing in skin.

“You didn’t deserve the torture or being locked up, or being forced to bite people. You didn’t deserve that. Even if you say you caused some of the Nemeton’s darkness, you still didn’t deserve what happened to you.” Stiles firmly believed what he told Derek. Derek did not deserve such awful things.

Derek remained silent but Stiles felt his shoulders relax some and he murmured, “Thank you” before reaching out and holding Stiles good hand.

Holding hands with someone was not something Stiles usually did even before the war. He smiled at their clasped hands. He felt oddly normal sitting in a damp underground room holding hands with an Alpha Werewolf he traveled across the country with to get home.

“I want to get to know you too, Derek,” Stiles replied honestly. The hand holding his tightened some. Derek looked up at Stiles. Stiles knew the minute he said it out loud that it was true. He wanted to know Derek better. He wanted to know about the Nemeton, his family, what Derek’s favorite food was, he wanted to know Derek.  

“Yeah?” Derek asked gaining some of the hope back in his face.

“Yeah,” Stiles replied with a smile.

“What will I have to do to take my place as the Hale Alpha?” Derek asked curiously. Stiles mind blanked again.

“What? You’re going to?” Stiles shouted far too loudly for the small damp room they sat in. Stiles never thought Derek meant that when he said he was staying that he would take the place as Alpha. He hadn’t even considered it, too much wishful thinking for him. Taking the place of Alpha would release Stiles from his position of acting Alpha. Stiles would be able to focus on the relations and magic side a lot more. The land would become even more settled having the rightful Alpha back. Things would become solid like puzzle pieces fitting together. The creatures in the Territory would have a High Alpha of sorts because the wards originated from the Hale land.

“Why wouldn’t I? I’m staying.” Derek looked amused at Stiles reaction. Stiles wondered if Derek knew what he was taking on.

“You are seriously going to become the Alpha of Beacon Hills?” Stiles clarified before adding, “you know it’s basically becoming High Alpha, the Alpha of other Alphas. Like a royal court almost.” It reminded hard to explain. Derek, if he took the spot would be the Alpha of other Alpha’s like the King presides over other royals in a way. The place held immense power and responsibility.

“Yes,” Derek responded truthfully. Maybe Derek understood better then Stiles thought. Derek being a Werewolf meant he felt things in a different way. Stiles logically pieced a lot of things together where Derek ran in instincts.  

“Wow, this is – that’s thank you,” Stiles stammered. Stiles couldn’t wrap his head around it all. Before Stiles was the creature holding everything together. He held the role of Emissary, official or not, and Alpha. Stiles never held any official role he was basically the equivalent of regent for the High Alpha. According to Derek, his role as Emissary was a lot longer standing than Stiles thought.

“On one condition,” Derek pipped up breaking Stiles from his thoughts.

Stiles mind stopped immediately waiting to hear the stipulation.

“You become the Hale Pack’s official Emissary,” Derek grinned.

Stiles felt his shoulders lose the tension they built up in the few seconds waiting for Derek’s reply, “Really? I though the whole pack had to--”

“And I told you they did. Stiles, you make bigger impressions on people than you realize. You smell like home because you protect the Hale land. You smell like home because you kept a pack on Hale land. You smell like home because of my family, Peter, Cora, and Malia accepted you. You smell like home because my Betas accepted you and trust you.” Derek tightened his hold on Stiles' hand as he spoke.

“I--”

“You, in the time my family was with you, earned their trust. They trust you to protect them and bring me back to them safely. Stiles, you are the Hale Emissary.” The minute Derek said it Stiles felt everything snap into place. He had an official title now. The title didn’t change what he felt everything was there before the bonds, the connected feeling but where Derek spoke he felt them pull and lodge themselves into him like never before. His responsibility didn’t change they only became official. Stiles belonged to the Hale pack, as member, Emissary, and whatever he and Derek would turn out to be.

“You sure you want to be the Alpha?” Stiles clarified in a breathy tone once more looking Derek in the eye. When he looked at Derek he saw pride that he never saw there before. Stiles saw Alpha Hale before him. Stiles trusted Derek. Derek went through hell, lost everything, was tortured and went Feral but he came back. He came home.

“Yes.”

“Derek Hale, you are my Alpha, the Alpha of Beacon Hills, the Alpha of the Hale pack,” Stiles more or less pledged to Derek. Stiles heard Derek’s intake of breath and watched as his eyes burn bright red. Stiles thought the whole pledging allegiance to the Alpha thing was weird, still, does, but it felt right for Derek to be that Alpha.

“Is this how you always feel?” Derek gasped. Derek’s eyes were red and wide, glazed over and unfocused. Stiles knew Derek focused on the new feelings of pack and land, not his actual surroundings.  

“Vague,” Stiles chirped squeezing Derek’s hand to bring him back to reality some after Derek’s grip loosened.  

Derek didn’t even glare he only looked at Stiles with wide glowing red eyes, “I can feel everything, the land, the people, the wards,” Derek clarified.

“Oh, that! Yeah, should have warned you sorry,” Stiles grimaced. When he first put up the wards and woke up from the magic drain of it all, he could barely stand with everything he was feeling. It took a long time to get used too sometimes it was too much. Stiles noticed then that it had dulled some that he only felt about half as much as before, so Derek had the other half. Stiles refused to tell Derek he only felt half of what Stiles felt the last few years. Derek as Alpha felt things differently anyway so Stiles couldn’t be sure on it all.

“I can feel where they are attacking the wards,” Derek murmured looking at Stiles. Derek’s eyes were dimming until they held no red at all. Still, Derek’s gaze remained unfocused on the real things in front of him. The feeling of weapons hitting the wards like a bubble popping on your skin didn’t really do all that much and eventually held no surprise. Stiles figured he was used to the feeling. It barely registered anymore. He knew his wards held strong no matter what hit them.

“Then you can feel how it does absolutely nothing to them,” Stiles smirked.

Derek nodded in reply.

They sat again in silence but this time everything seemed to be humming around them with their new stations fitting into place.

“Can the others fell the change?” Derek asked quietly. Stiles never thought of how the others would see it or rather feel it. He wondered if his pack behind the wards were surprised by the shift.  

“Everyone, the minute you declared me as Emissary officially, and when I stated you were my Alpha. The others will have to officially pledge except with the Betas you bit they should already be there.” Stiles wondered what pack bonds felt like for an Alpha. A lot of things needed to happen with the Alpha’s residing in the wards, and other creatures for that matter. The place was a Werewolf territory first and foremost everyone else just lived there. Stiles knew a lot needed to be done and his mind started to go through it all.

“They are, so is my family.” Derek relaxed at the feel of the pack bonds. The brightest and strongest he felt connected to Stiles. Stiles felt the others, his pack still but not as brightly because they technically were not in the same pack anymore. Stiles always thought pack dynamics were confusing.  

“My pack, well the ones in Beacon Hills will just have to say you are their Alpha and that’s that,” Stiles assured not only Derek but himself too. He knew his pack would follow him and trust in him. Stiles trusted Derek. Stiles magic trusted Derek. That would be enough for his pack to trust Derek too. Stiles and his magic were an excellent judge of character.  

Derek opened his eyes not having realized they closed when he focused on the pack bonds. Derek opened his eyes and looked right to Stiles’. They had moved even closer since Stiles originally sat down beside Derek even though it didn’t seem possible. Stiles watched as Derek’s eyes went from meeting his to glance at Stiles’ lips. Stiles' heart started to beat faster when Derek leaned in closer than ever before. Before anything happened, Derek pulled away leaning his forehead against Stiles’ and murmured, “Not yet.” Derek didn’t even sound upset about it more like it would be worth the wait.

Stiles nodded his head feeling it brush against Derek’s, “not yet” he murmured back. He knew their time would come.

They sat like that until Stiles sleepily moved his head to where Derek’s shoulder and neck met and he fell asleep with Derek’s head above his leaning back against the wall.

For the first time in a long time, Stiles felt safe and cared for.

\--

“Stiles,” Derek whispered while he moved from beneath Stiles, gently moving Stiles head out of the crook of his shoulder. Derek held Stiles head in his hands as Stiles woke up.

“Wha--” Stiles blinked a few times trying to focus.

“Someone’s coming down the tunnel from the territory,” Derek rushed out quietly. He could hear two sets of footsteps coming towards them.  

Stiles bolted up and grabbed the backpack he left leaning against the wall he sat at before he moved close to Derek. Stiles walked out from the room and into the main corridor with all the different entrances. The Betas were already out and watched Stiles and Derek stand in front of them as the people got close enough to even Stiles could hear their steps. Stiles backed everyone into the tunnel they came down from the outside instead of the rooms as an escape precaution. Stiles figured the people coming were his pack but until he knew for sure best to be safe than sorry.

The two people stepped into the corridor and Stiles saw a gun come into the poorly lit area first. He heard Derek growling but paid no mind to it as he ran toward the man with the gun.

“Dad!” Stiles shouted. Stiles didn’t think his dad would be the one coming in to get them. It made sense when the actually thought about it, though. He thought they would just send a warning or something, not people, not his dad.  

His dad lowered the gun putting it in his holster before catching Stiles and hugging him tightly. They stayed like that for a while happy to be reunited. Stiles felt happy his dad was safe and with him. Hugging his dad, Stiles knew then and there he was home. Stiles saw red hair move from behind his dad. They slowly let go before Stiles felt himself being pulled into a fierce hug.

“Missed you too, Lydia,” Stiles mumbled into the hug. He felt relieved she made it out of the Camp. He knew they did but seeing was something different.  

“We were worried,” Lydia replied into his shoulder.  

“We got your message though at the lake, clever,” his dad said from beside them keeping his hand on Stiles' shoulder.

“Figured you would,” Stiles smiled then asked, “the others?”

“On their way to the passage entrance inside the territory, they are distracting the army,” His dad replied.

Stiles stepped away from hugging Lydia, “right well how about introduction once we are all home?” Stiles suggested turning to look at Derek who nodded in return.

Lydia walked in front of them leading the way. Derek walked right behind Stiles and his dad while the Betas followed behind him.

“You guys all got back no problem?” Stiles asked Lydia. He wanted to know everything about how they got home and what happened when they did. He felt out of the loop although they had plenty of time to catch up.

“I wouldn’t say no problem but nothing we wouldn’t handle. Did you know we made it?”

“Heard it on the radio,” Erica replied from behind him.  

“Really? They put it on there?”  

“Gerard came on spewing shit and mentioned that all but one group made it back so we figured you made it,” Stiles answered.

“The army showed up about a day after the last group made it in. It’s mostly made up of the guards from the Camp but a few actual trained battalions came to fire the big stuff,” his dad informed the group.

“They at any of the other territories?” Stiles asked having had no contact with anyone.

“Nope, in fact, most of the guards left those territories even the one in Pittsburgh allowing them to spread and strengthen the wards, and raid for supplies. A nice side effect.” Stiles was glad that the Pittsburgh Territory didn’t face too much trouble after they helped him. Gaining land and the ability to strengthen the wards on top of raids was a really great side effect.

“And here? You guys holding up?”

“Well you know your wards are, kid,” his dad replied sounding proud, “we were worried about you, not the wards.”

“I promised I would make it home,” Stiles urged. He knew they would worry but look at all the good they did.

“Why’s the arm wrapped, you didn’t have that when you left the Camp,” Lydia pointed out. He saw his dad’s look of concern and shot a glare at Lydia.

“Ran into some Hunter’s around the Pittsburgh Territory,” Stiles said without elaborating.

“How many stitches this time?” His dad sighed.

“I don’t know! They didn’t count! I’m going to have Allison take them out so she can count them, I bet I beat the record,” Stiles exclaimed feigning irritation.  

“Stiles how bad?” His dad seemed more worried now than before.

“Dad, I’m fine promise. Derek and the others took care of me,” Stiles reassured.

Before they could ask any more questions Stiles saw the shimmer of his wards in front of them. Lydia, his dad and he all walked through like it was nothing. Stiles turned and saw Derek and the others standing on the other side looking at him. Stiles nodded his head at them and they all walked through one at a time with no problem. Stiles loved the look of wonder on their faces as they crossed the wards. Derek was staring at him again in the way Stiles is slowly becoming familiar with. They came to a ladder that hadn’t been there last time he was in this particular tunnel. He looked at Lydia in question when she stopped.

“The territory expanded a lot after the raid and the army,” Lydia offered in explanation before she started to climb up. His dad followed her. Stiles sent the Betas up first before he and Derek climbed.

“Stiles this is—thank you,” Derek said as the Beta’s climbed the latter.

“You really need to stop thanking me,” Stiles badgered then smiled at Derek before heading up the latter.

When Stiles got to the top he found himself being squeezed by a Werewolf.

“Scott, still human here,” Stiles wheezed as he clung to Scott as hard as he could. Stiles felt himself relax fully for the first time since he left his home and family.

“Scott let other people--” Stiles heard Melissa start but she cut off as she started to laugh at the two.

“Scott my turn,” Allison said coming up behind them. Scott let go then and Stiles was met with the tight hug of Allison which he returned. He felt more and more at home.

“How many stitches under there?” Allison asked when she pulled back some from the hug with a grin.

“You are going to have to count them when you take them out, I was unconscious and they didn’t count,” Stiles motioned to the Betas and Derek who were standing behind him watching the reunion.

“Unconscious? What happened?” Stiles felt Melissa grab his arm gently.

“You and Allison can look at it later,” Stiles replied trying to ease their worry.

Stiles was hugged briefly by the rest of the pack before he remembered the candy bars, “Oh wait my backpack,” Stiles exclaimed. He didn’t notice but somewhere between all the hugging, he dropped it. Stiles walked over to it and pulled out the bag of candy. He looked up and saw Scott’s eyes widen when Stiles reached in a pulled out all different kinds of candy.

“For us?” Scott asked dazedly.

“Duh,” Stiles replied with a grin. Everyone else looked amused by the whole thing.

“That’s what you spent money on?” Lydia asked but even she was moving closer to the bag to get a look inside.

“I couldn’t go on a road trip without goodies, apocalypse or not,” Stiles shrugged.

Stiles looked up and saw Peter, Cora, and Malia walking over to Derek.

Derek looked pained but before he said anything Cora launched herself into his arms in what looked like a painful hug but Werewolves. Derek looked surprised and it was the most emotion he had ever seen from Cora.

“I’m glad your home,” Cora mumbled into Derek’s shoulder.

“Glad to be home,” Derek replied. Cora let go and was replaced with Malia hugging him.

“Glad to see you alive and well, nephew,” Peter smiled at Derek.

“You to uncle,” Derek smiled back.

“That is thanks to our Emissary here,” Peter replied looking at Derek instead of Stiles.

“Introduction time?” Stiles interrupted because he hated people talking about him like he wasn’t there.

“This is Erica, Boyd, Isaac, Jackson and Derek,” Stiles pointed to each one as he said their names.

“Our new Alpha,” Lydia broke the silence after the introductions. Just like that Derek felt a pack bond form between them. “I’m glad you made it out of there, all of you,” Lydia stated honestly.

After Lydia said that one by one everyone gave their support and claimed Derek as their Alpha. Stiles watched as the look of amazement grew on Derek’s face. Stiles realized Derek gave up on the hope he would ever have this, ever have a family again.

Stiles felt the land respond when everyone claimed Derek as their Alpha. The land felt settled, more so than ever before.

Stiles smiled at Derek who gave a shy but honest smile in return.

“So, what are we going to do about the army?” the Sheriff asked because it seemed like no one else would.

“We are all here now,” Lydia pointed out the obvious.

“We don’t actually need to fight them the wards are holding,” Allison stated.

“How likely are they to keep at it and will that hurt anything?” Derek asked looking at Stiles for the answers.  

“They will stay here for a while more I think, wouldn’t even be surprised they bring out some bigger weapons, they don’t know we made it which is another thing in our favor. No, they won’t hurt anything by staying out there. It is giving the other Protected Territories a chance to gain strength,” Stiles advised fulfilling the role of Emissary.

“Can you get in contact with the other territories and tell them we will keep the fact that the last group made it until the army looks like they are going to leave the reveal it? In the meantime, they can do what they need for their wards and restocking,” Derek suggested.

“That’s a good plan. I will contact them when we get back to Beacon Hills,” Stiles answered.

“Everyone’s home,” Scott commented excitedly. He barely moved from Stiles side since they hugged even though Derek stood close to him on the other side. Stiles looked to Derek and smiled as he grabbed Derek’s hand.

“We’re home."

 

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings:  
> -Mentions of hanging but it never takes place or even relatively close to happening  
> -Kate is decapitated  
> -People being treated like objects
> 
> Once again I wrote more than I thought I would. What else is new? Nothing. Let me know what you think!
> 
> Visit me on Tumblr at [fireflystiles](http://fireflystiles.tumblr.com)


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